World News

McDonald's in Japan limits sales of fries over potato shortage, delays

By Simon Druker   |   Jan. 8, 2022 at 2:49 PM
McDonald's in Japan is limiting customers to buying the small size of fries for approximately the next month. The company blames a potato shortage and import delays over weather in Vancouver, British Columbia for the need to implement the temporary limit. File photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI A McDonald's Big Mac and a small side of fries. File photo by Monika Graff/UPI McDonald's Japan announced it is limiting sales of its fries because of a potato shortage and importing delays. Customers will only be able to purchase a small size of the fries for approximately the next month. File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Customers at McDonald's in Japan are now limited to buying the small size of fries and will be for approximately the next month, the company announced.

A potato shortage and importing delays because of the weather are behind the fast food chain's temporary limit.

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"Regarding potatoes imported from North America, there was a delay in imports due to the effects of a large-scale flood near the port of Vancouver, Canada, which is a transit point for shipping services, and disruption to the global distribution network due to the Corona disaster," reads a Friday statement from McDonald's Japan Co., Ltd.

The company made a similar move, restricting medium and large size fries sales during the final week of December.

"In addition to the continued delay in imports, unforeseen circumstances such as cargo retention in Vancouver, confusion due to the effects of snow, and bad weather on the route, and the shipping service scheduled from early January to mid-January There is a further delay in arrival. We will temporarily suspend sales of M and L sizes from January 9, 2022 for about one month, and will sell only S size," said the fast food chain.

Flooding in British Columbia in November is continuing to cause delays to the supply chain, already affected by COVID-19. Recent heavy snow along the West Coast of the province has also contributed to delays at the Port of Vancouver.