Pokémon card sales at major US retailer halted over security fears

US retail giant Target is suspending in-store sales of Pokémon and sports trading cards amid safety concerns as customers vie for the collectibles.

Target, which has over 1,900 outlets in the US, made the decision after a man drew a gun in a fight over trading cards outside a store in Wisconsin.

“The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority,” the company said in a statement to US media.

Sales of trading cards have rocketed amid the pandemic.

The suspension of in-store sales is temporary, the company said, adding that online sales are not affected.

Walmart, a top competitor to Target, says they have also seen increasing demand, but do not currently have plans to block sales.

The ‘insane’ money in trading collectible cards
Monsters, mania and the unstoppable march of Pokémon
A fight broke out in a car park outside a Target in Brookfield, Wisconsin, on 7 May, after four men allegedly assaulted another man over sports trading cards, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Read more..