McDonald's Japan has limited the number of Chiikawa Happy Sets customers can buy and banned their resale on flea-market apps [1].
These measures aim to stop professional resellers from hoarding limited-edition toys, which often leads to significant food waste when meals are discarded to obtain the collectibles. The crackdown follows a pattern of massive purchases and waste incidents that occurred during a previous campaign launch on Aug. 30, 2025 [2].
Starting May 15, 2026, the company implemented a maximum purchase limit of four sets per customer [1]. McDonald's Japan said the restrictions on sales methods and quantities were necessary to prevent bulk buying for resale and to stop products from being abandoned [1].
To enforce these rules, the company is working with platforms like Mercari. Enforcement staff from the flea-market app are monitoring and removing prohibited listings to disrupt the secondary market. A representative from Mercari's fraud prevention department said some sellers attempted to bypass filters by using kanji characters for "small river" to describe the Chiikawa items [1].
This coordinated effort between a retailer and a digital marketplace is a response to the growing problem of "resale culture" in Japan. By restricting the supply at the point of sale and blocking the primary outlet for profit, the companies hope to ensure the toys reach genuine fans rather than speculators [1], [2].
“"To prevent bulk buying for resale, or the abandonment of products, we will limit the sales method and quantity."”
This collaboration signals a shift in how Japanese companies handle high-demand collectibles. By partnering directly with platforms like Mercari, McDonald's is moving beyond simple store-level limits to target the economic incentive of the secondary market, reflecting a broader corporate push to reduce the environmental impact of food waste caused by speculative buying.
