By Jasmine Laws

Copyright newsweek

McDonald’s is changing its rules for customers purchasing Happy Meals in Japan, following the launch of its Pokémon meals, which led to fights and food waste earlier this summer.This comes as McDonald’s Japan launches four new Happy Meal sets, available for purchase starting Friday.Newsweek reached out to the McDonald’s press office via email for comment.Why It MattersWhen the fast food chain introduced its Pokémon Happy Meals in Japan in August, eager Pokémon fans flooded McDonald’s stores. The launch quickly turned into chaos, Business Insider reported.According to the outlet, food was discarded and wasted. Some customers bulk-bought the meal deals and resold them to Pokémon enthusiasts, while some of the Happy Meal toys were listed on the country’s largest online resale marketplace, Mercari, at higher prices.The fast food chain stated in August, following the launch of the Pokémon Happy Meals: “McDonald’s does not tolerate the purchase of Happy Set for the purpose of resale, nor the wasting or disposal of food.””This incident clearly goes against our long-standing philosophy of providing a fun dining experience for children and families, as well as our values as a restaurant.”What To KnowIn a statement on Friday regarding the change in rules, McDonald’s Japan appeared to reference the chaos in August, stating: “McDonald’s does not tolerate food being left unattended or discarded.””We strictly prohibit purchases or resale of Happy Sets for the purpose of resale, or other purchases for commercial purposes, or the use of customers who do not comply with the above rules and manners.”This announcement came alongside the Golden Arches’ sale of four Happy Meal sets, in collaboration with Sanrio, in Japan: the “Plarail” meal, the “My Melody and Kuromi” meal, the “Let’s Play With Cinnamoroll” meal, and the “Moon Universe Nanchara Kotetsukun” meal.Sanrio is a Japanese entertainment company, known for its iconic characters, including Hello Kitty.McDonald’s noted that it would be limiting the number of items sold to “prevent large purchases for resale purposes and food neglect.”The Happy Meals will only be sold in-store or via drive-thru, while home delivery services and mobile orders will be suspended on Friday. Other products, though, will still be available through home delivery services and mobile ordering.Additionally, only three of the new Happy Meal sets can be purchased by the same group or account, and the same customer can only purchase one.McDonald’s also reminded customers that they are not allowed to choose the type of toy they get with their Happy Meals.What People Are SayingMcDonald’s Japan said in its announcement: “Please note that the toy will end as soon as it runs out. Please refrain from inquiring about inventory at each store.””We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to customers who regularly use McDonald’s stores, mobile ordering, and McDelivery services, but we appreciate your understanding and understanding.”What Happens NextRules could change again depending on how the launch of these Happy Meal sets goes on Friday, as McDonald’s said that, on Saturday, it would “determine the appropriate response based on the sales situation.”