Business · Singapore Bureau
Japanese sushi chain halts Chiikawa campaign after employee theft
A major Japanese sushi restaurant operator has terminated a promotional campaign featuring the popular manga character Chiikawa after discovering that an employee had stolen merchandise intended for the giveaway. The pilfered items subsequently appeared on online resale platforms.
LSN Singapore ·
The sushi chain launched the Chiikawa-themed campaign as part of efforts to boost customer engagement, offering limited-edition merchandise featuring the beloved anime and manga character. However, the promotion was cut short when management discovered that promotional items meant for distribution had been diverted by a staff member.
An investigation revealed that a significant quantity of campaign merchandise had been removed from the restaurant premises. The stolen goods subsequently turned up on secondhand online marketplaces, where they were being offered for sale to consumers.
Following the discovery, the company made the decision to discontinue the campaign entirely. The incident has prompted the restaurant operator to review its internal security protocols and employee oversight procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The sushi chain has not disclosed the total value of the stolen merchandise or announced specific disciplinary measures against the employee involved. The company issued a statement apologising to customers who were unable to participate in the full duration of the promotional campaign.