Pokemon McDonald’s Promo Cards Ship Loose, Not Sealed

Pokemon's latest McDonald's collaboration is taking a different approach to packaging its promotional cards. The new Happy Meal cards, which launched in Canada today and will arrive in the United States on November 10, come loose inside the toy box rather than in sealed booster packs—a notable shift from previous McDonald's Pokemon promotions.

Unboxing footage shared on social media reveals the new format in action. Each Happy Meal includes two loose cards placed directly in the box alongside the toy, rather than being individually sealed. One unboxing showed a Wooloo and a confetti holographic Chandelure as examples of cards included in the promotion. The loose packaging represents a deliberate departure from how similar promos have been distributed in other regions, which typically feature cards in sealed packs.

The decision appears designed to discourage scalpers from targeting the promotion. Loose cards face several disadvantages compared to sealed packs that make them less attractive for resale. Cards packaged this way absorb odors from the food in the Happy Meal, potentially diminishing their appeal and resale value. Additionally, cards stored loosely are more likely to sustain minor damage during handling and shipping, reducing their condition grade and market worth. Sealed packs, by contrast, have historically commanded higher prices on the secondary market, particularly after promotions end, making them the primary target for scalpers seeking profit.

Scalping has become a persistent problem in the Pokemon trading card market. Previous McDonald's promotions in Japan saw scalpers purchase Happy Meals in bulk, extract the booster packs, and discard the food. The Pokemon Company has experimented with other anti-scalping measures, including removing seals from Elite Trainer Boxes at certain Pokemon Centers to drastically reduce their resale value. The company has also benefited from market conditions, such as when the 30th anniversary expansion's generous pull rates reduced demand for scalped products.

Whether loose packaging will effectively deter scalping remains uncertain. The coming weeks will provide insight into whether this strategy succeeds, particularly as the promotion rolls out across the United States. While the Pokemon Company and other trading card game publishers struggle to eliminate scalping entirely—a practice deeply embedded in the hobby's culture—the loose card approach represents another attempt to make the promotion less appealing to resellers. Complete elimination of scalping may be unrealistic, but reducing its profitability could help ensure more cards reach collectors and casual players rather than speculators.