<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fast-food chain </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/mcdonalds" rel="" target="" title="McDonald's"><span>McDonald's</span></a><span> Japan has cancelled a Happy Meal campaign that came with coveted Pokemon cards, apologising after resellers rushed to buy the meals and then discarded the food, leaving trash outside stores.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The meals, called Happy Sets in Japan, were meant for children.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They came with a toy, such as a tiny plastic Pikachu, and a Pokemon card and sold out in a day, according to Japanese media reports.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/mount-waverley-murder-charges-court/d06958f6-3c49-4bb0-b9dd-b7b9bcaa98ea" target="_blank"><strong><span>Accused double-murderer faces court after pregnant woman and partner killed</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mounds of wasted food were found near the stores.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We do not believe in abandoning and discarding food," the company said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This situation goes against our longtime philosophy that we have cherished as a restaurant to 'offer a fun dining experience for children and families'.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/mcdonalds-japans-pokemon-card-happy-meals-promotion-comes-to-an-unhappy-end/9293723c-a1a8-4e21-9217-db2b58681479" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We sincerely accept that our preparations had not been adequate."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McDonald's said it was working on ways to prevent such a situation from happening again, such as limiting the number of meals each person can buy and ending online orders.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/police-operation-at-sydney-airport-man-arrested/373e6fba-44c9-4bc7-8f37-71534e3e304f" target="_blank"><strong><span>Man charged after police gun 'unintentionally' fired in dramatic arrest</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It said it might deny service to customers who fail to abide by the rules.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We vow to return to the basics of what lies behind the Happy Set, which is about helping to bring smiles to families so we can contribute to the wholesome development of the hearts and bodies of children, who are our future," the company said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Collecting Pokemon cards is popular among adults and children in many places, with the most popular cards selling for $US1000 ($1500) or more.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Unusually large crowds were seen flocking to McDonald's stores when the meals with Pokemon cards went on sale.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cards were later being resold for up to tens of thousands of yen online.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McDonald's has been selling Happy Meals for more than 40 years. In Japan, they usually sell for 510 yen ($5.29).</span></div></div>