McDonald’s Faces Backlash Over Food Waste as Pokémon Card Craze Sweeps Japan

McDonald’s Japan grapples with surging demand for limited-edition Pokémon Happy Meals, leading to discarded food and waste. Over the weekend, customers swarmed restaurants in a frenzy to obtain exclusive Pokémon card sets, resulting in untouched meals piling up on sidewalks and self-pick-up tables.

The collaborative promotion between McDonald’s and Pokémon ended prematurely due to excessive sales, as customers bought multiple Happy Meals for the purpose of reselling the sought-after cards. A single Happy Meal, priced around $3.50 (approximately 510 yen), has been listed on eBay for upwards of $28 each by scalpers.

Images circulating on social media depicted numerous bags of discarded Happy Meals outside restaurants and untouched food left idly on tables, sparking public outcry over food waste. McDonald’s Japan acknowledged the issue, stating that sales had exceeded expectations at numerous locations, causing the distribution of Pokémon cards to end prematurely.

Japan is renowned for its cleanliness and high standards of public hygiene, with tourists often commending the country for its spotless streets. However, the recent sightings of trash piles generated by discarded Happy Meals has raised concerns among the public.

In response, McDonald’s Japan issued a statement on Monday, expressing that they do not condone reselling or abandonment/disposal of Happy Meals. The fast-food chain also announced plans to collaborate with third-party websites to prevent scalpers from inflating the price of collectible cards.

McDonald’s Japan expressed remorse over the situation, stating it contradicts their long-held philosophy of providing enjoyable dining experiences for children and families. They acknowledged their response was insufficient and vowed to address the issue seriously moving forward.

Pokémon, a globally popular franchise centered around pocket monsters, originated in Japan. Limited edition and well-preserved Pokémon cards can fetch hundreds of dollars on the resale and collectibles market, inciting many to purchase the cards as speculative alternative investments.