McDonald's Japan has decided to partially relax the measure previously implemented to prevent the "scalping" or resale of its Happy Meal toys. Recently, the popularity of these toys led to a surge in reselling at marked up prices, prompting McDonald's to take action. The original restrictions limited customers to buying only one Happy Meal at a time, but due to customer feedback, the fast-food giant is now allowing multiple purchases.

In Japan, limited-edition items and merchandise are highly coveted, often leading to a resale market. The actions of McDonald's reflect a balance between responding to consumer demand but also discouraging the resale market. Reselling products at a much higher price point is frowned upon in Japan as it's seen as taking advantage of others' eagerness to collect limited-edition items.

In comparison, in countries like the US, limited-edition merchandise is also popular and reselling isn't uncommon. However, companies rarely impose limits on purchases, making the measures taken by McDonald's Japan rather unique. In the EU, consumer protection laws prevent such practices, making it harder, though not impossible, for resellers to mark up prices.