**Japan’s McDonald’s Limited Edition Pokémon Happy Meal Event Ends Early Due to Overwhelming Demand**
Japan’s McDonald’s recently launched a limited edition Pokémon-themed Happy Meal known locally as the “Happy Set.” The event was scheduled to take place from August 9th to 11th, but on the first day, it was forced to end prematurely due to a large number of scalpers rushing to purchase, leading to food waste and piles of garbage outside the stores.
In an official announcement on its website, McDonald’s Japan stated, “We regret to inform that the Pokémon Happy Meal card distribution event, scheduled for three days from August 9th to 11th, was ended early at many stores due to sales far exceeding expectations.” The event was originally aimed at children, with each set including a toy like a small Pikachu model and a Pokémon card, all of which were sold out on the first day.
Japan is known for its clean streets and high public hygiene standards, with visitors often praising its cleanliness. However, social media was flooded with images showing uneaten burgers and fries abandoned outside McDonald’s stores or left in the self-service dining areas, with the ground littered with plastic bags, sparking public outrage. Many netizens criticized scalpers for buying large quantities of meals solely to resell the cards for profit, leaving genuine child customers unable to make a purchase.
“Because of these people, I couldn’t buy the Happy Meal for my daughter,” one netizen complained. Another remarked, “I understand that some adult Pokémon fans really want these cards, but these resellers are just embarrassing.”
Collecting Pokémon cards is immensely popular among both adults and children in many countries and regions, with some rare cards fetching prices of over $1,000. It was reported that the limited edition cards given by McDonald’s were being listed online for as much as tens of thousands of yen (hundreds of dollars).
McDonald’s has announced that they will implement measures such as restricting purchase quantities, halting online orders, and refusing non-compliant customers. They will also collaborate with third-party websites to curb the scalping of cards. The company emphasized in a statement, “This situation goes against our long-standing commitment to providing a happy dining experience for children and families. We will return to our original intention of promoting the physical and mental health development of children.”
McDonald’s has been selling Happy Meals for over forty years, with the standard price in Japan usually being 510 yen (about $3.40). Pokémon, born in Japan, has been a global phenomenon since its introduction of cards, games, and multimedia in 1996, and it is even considered an alternative investment option due to its substantial value in the collecting market.