KFC China’s Dimoo ‘blind boxes’ under fire as toy promotion fuels frenzy of wastefulness, overspending
- Promotion with Pop Mart ends early as scalpers and collectors buy up all of the promotional KFC meals to complete a valuable six-figure set
- After one person splashes out US$1,650 on 106 meals to collect all six Dimoo figures, China Consumer Association points to nation’s anti-food-waste law
A Chinese consumer rights group is taking KFC to task for its recent meal promotion, arguing that the popular fast-food chain’s limited-edition toys resulted in excessive food waste and compulsive overspending by customers.
The pointed criticism by the China Consumer Association came after KFC teamed up with Pop Mart, a Chinese toymaker known for its mystery boxes, i.e. “blind boxes”. Together, they offered collectable versions of large-eyed and round-faced Dimoo toys with certain KFC meals, in celebration of the brand’s 35th anniversary of its first restaurant in China.
Obtaining a full six-figure set required customers to purchase at least six meals, but the odds of getting them in one go were remote – with a 1-72 chance of obtaining the rarest toy in the lot.
Such a marketing strategy, the association said, is dangerous because it encourages wastefulness.
“This can easily lead consumers to spend impulsively just to procure the limited-edition, blind-box toys, thus buying excessive food and causing food waste,” it said.
That exclusivity prompted one person to spend 10,494 yuan (US$1,650) on 106 meals to collect the set, according to Wednesday’s statement by the association, adding that others have even hired people to buy the 99-yuan meals, and often the food is simply thrown away.