Pokémon trading cards: Black marketeers pounce on Happy Meals

Pokémon black marketers have made themselves unpopular in Japan. The reason is a sales campaign by the fast food chain McDonald's. For three days, it wanted to add Pokémon knick-knacks and collector's cards to its Happy Sets, the Japanese version of Happy Meals. Bootleggers ordered the meals in huge quantities, but only to get their hands on the Pokémon merchandise.

As a result, there were queues of people outside and hullabaloo inside the stores, which also inconvenienced neighbors. The food usually ended up in the bin. The extras were quickly sold out, leaving children empty-handed. In the end, the Happy Set campaign made many Japanese people unhappy.

This was followed by at least three apologies from McDonald's. Some customers had ordered large quantities for resale, the company confirmed. This had led to “overcrowding and chaos” as well as “food ordered being left behind and thrown away”. “We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our regular customers and for the significant disruption” to employees, neighbors, and landlords. “McDonald's does not condone the purchase of Happy Meals for resale, nor the leaving behind and throwing away of food.” Identified bulk buyers would be excluded from using the McDonald's app.

App block for black marketeers

For the future, the company is thinking aloud about limiting serving quantities in certain cases. Online orders and deliveries could then be temporarily suspended. Customers who queue more than once, try to intimidate staff, or otherwise violate Japanese etiquette will be expelled from the premises.

McDonald's also wants to make it more difficult to resell Pokémon merchandise. The restaurant chain reports that it has contacted Japanese flea market apps. They are being asked to “take more effective measures to curb malicious hoarding and reselling by certain customers as much as possible.”

Happy Sets consist of white cookies with or without protein, or alternatively pieces of chicken, as well as a portion of vegetables and a small drink. Plastic toys are usually included. There are no more Pokémon supplements until further notice. “Please refrain from inquiring about stock levels in the stores,” McDonald's Japan requests.

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