Tokyo (Japan), 13 August (LaPresse/AP) – Fast food chain McDonald's Japan has cancelled a Happy Meal campaign that included coveted Pokémon cards. The company apologised after crowds of retailers rushed to buy the meals and then threw away the food, leaving rubbish outside the shops. The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were intended for children. They included a toy, such as a small plastic Pikachu, and a Pokémon card. According to Japanese media, the Happy Meals sold out in a single day and piles of wasted food were found near stores. The company said it was not adequately prepared and that the situation was contrary to its philosophy of offering “a fun dining experience for children and families”. 'We do not believe in abandoning and wasting food. This situation goes against our long-standing philosophy that we have always pursued as a restaurant, which is to offer a fun dining experience for children and families. We sincerely acknowledge that our preparations were inadequate," the company said in a statement. McDonald's said it is working to prevent such a situation from happening again, for example by limiting the number of meals each person can purchase and suspending online orders. It also said it may deny service to customers who do not follow the rules.
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