McDonald’s Japan has delayed its upcoming Happy Set toy promotion after complaints that its recent Pokemon card giveaway caused food waste and resale problems.
The company announced Thursday that its collaboration with the manga and anime series One Piece, originally scheduled to begin on August 29, has been postponed. Customers will instead receive toys from past Happy Set meals.
The decision comes after the Pokemon promotion earlier this month, which saw limited-edition cards given away with Happy Meals. The campaign led to long queues, bulk purchases, and images of discarded food as buyers sought to secure the collectible cards.
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McDonald’s said many outlets ran out of cards on the first day despite the campaign being planned for three days. The company later apologized and pledged to review its promotional strategy after the cards began appearing for resale online, with some listed for tens of thousands of dollars.
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One Piece collaboration put on hold
Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has instructed McDonald’s to improve its sales practices and reduce food waste. The company has since introduced limits on the number of Happy Meals that can be purchased in a single order.
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The One Piece promotion was intended to feature toys tied to the long-running franchise. The series began as a manga in 1997 before expanding into an anime two years later, with related games and merchandise becoming major hits in Japan.
McDonald’s has not confirmed when or if the One Piece Happy Set promotion will be rescheduled.
