Burger King Pokémon container recall

As part of a promotion for Pokémon: The First Movie during 1999 and 2000, fast food retail chain Burger King held a promotion featuring various Pokémon-themed toys. The toys came packaged in containers based around Poké Balls. When pulled apart, the containers were of a size that would create a vacuum effect around the mouth and nose.

Following the death of an infant who suffocated, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) made an effort to recall the containers. Although Burger King was initially hesitant, it initiated a heavy recall effort after another infant nearly suffocated. Thousands of notices were placed throughout the United States and in other avenues, such as internet forums and news networks. Despite these efforts, another child died due to suffocation.

The recall effort was considered successful, with the bulk of the containers either destroyed, thrown out, or returned. Some have panned Burger King's response to the issue with the containers, though both Burger King and the containers' producer, Equity Marketing, believing they handled the situation as best as they could have. The parents of the initial suffocation victim later sued Burger King for the incident, with Burger King paying out a monetary settlement to the family.