A recent collaboration between The Pokémon Company and McDonald's in Japan has come to a premature end due to overwhelming demand, resulting in chaos and significant food waste. The promotion, featuring an exclusive Pikachu trading card available with Happy Meals, was meant to run from August 9th to August 11th but concluded in less than a day. McDonald's apologized for the disruption, stating high sales exceeded expectations. The event experienced extreme queues, incidents of scalping, and reports of uneaten food discarded on the streets, sparking outrage among fans. On social media, images displayed the shocking amount of waste as customers focused solely on obtaining the trading card, with police arriving to manage escalating tensions. Pikachu cards are now being resold online for inflated prices, highlighting a pattern of problematic promotions similar to past events involving Pokémon merchandise.

What led to the early end of the Pokémon and McDonald's collaboration?

The collaboration ended early due to unprecedented demand that led to long queues, scalping, and food waste, prompting McDonald's to apologize for not meeting customer expectations.

This incident is reminiscent of previous Pokémon promotions that faced similar issues, particularly a chaotic event at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam where a limited-edition Pikachu card was also targeted by scalpers. These situations underline the challenges The Pokémon Company faces in managing demand while striving to engage fans through exclusive merchandise. The impact on local communities and the environment raises questions about sustainability and ethical marketing practices within the gaming and food industries.