Images showing Thousands of McDonald’s meals abandoned on the sidewalks and in the streets of Japan have aroused a lively stir on social networks, fueling a debate on food waste in a world where millions of people are hungry.
The clichés, widely relayed online, reveal whole meal bags – mainly Happy Meals – piled up or thrown, in a striking contrast with the dramatic reality experienced in regions like The Gaza Bande or The city of Fasher In Sudan, where besieged populations are fighting to eat.
The origin of this waste dates back to a promotional offer Launched by McDonald’s Japan: For each Happy Meal bought, customers received two exclusive and rare Pokémon cards. A massive craze quickly formed around this marketing operation, encouraging certain buyers to accumulate meals only to obtain the cards, before abandoning food.
This scene has caused the indignation of many Internet users, who see it as a symbol of excessive consumption and overall imbalance in access to food. Several votes now call on companies to design more responsible campaigns, and the authorities to strengthen actions against food waste.
McDonald’s Japan has not yet published an official press release to react to controversy, but the subject continues to be the subject of a broad debate in Japan and beyond, between passion for derivative products and social responsibility of brands.
What’s going on in Tunisia?
We explain on our YouTube channel. Subscribe!
