Gotta sell 'em all? Fake card claim disputed at new Pokémon card vending machine

Why it matters: The arrival of the machine reflects a wider surge in demand for Pokémon cards that has made them difficult – at times – to find on some high streets, but local retailers warn shoppers to be cautious about what they're buying.

The details: The vending machine stocks only non-English-language cards, which are typically cheaper than their English equivalents.

• Current stock includes Nihil Zero Korean packs (£5), Korean Blue (£6), Korean Battle (£4) and Korean Paradox (£4), alongside a penny sleeve for £1. Chinese 151 packs, at £11 each, were among the more expensive items on offer.
• Several products had already sold out, including Chinese Gem, Korean Surging, Korean Stellar, Chaos Rising, Abyss Eye JP and Glory of Team.

What they're saying: The owner of one high street retailer described the vending machine as "a bit of a kick in the teeth", explaining that many businesses were looking to capitalise on demand for Pokémon cards, which they said had peaked again last year.

They said prices in the machine were higher than those charged by high street retailers, adding that operators were capitalising on the fact that high street stockists often struggle to buy in enough stock to keep up with demand, while driving impulse purchases.

The owner also urged caution, citing one customer who discovered that "half the cards" they had bought from the vending machine were fake. This publication also received complaints from other customers stating they had purchased counterfeits from the machine.

The other side: Collector Vends, which operates the vending machine, disputed the claim when approached for comment. A spokesperson said: "I can assure you that all of the Pokémon products we stock are 100% genuine. Every item is purchased from legitimate suppliers, and we hold invoices to verify the authenticity of all our stock."

They added: "We have not received any verified complaints regarding counterfeit products. If anyone believes they have purchased a fake product, we'd be more than happy to investigate, but we would need evidence so we can look into the matter properly."

The company said its machines stock "a variety of official Pokémon products from different regions, including English, Korean and Chinese releases", adding that customers unfamiliar with these versions "may mistakenly believe they are counterfeit because they differ from the English versions."

Collector Vends invited Ipswich.co.uk to test products directly at the machine to "verify their authenticity firsthand."

For context: The Pokémon Company recorded net sales of $3.34bn and a net profit of $754m for its 28th fiscal year, ending February 2026, driven by global demand for trading cards.

Pokémon cards have become increasingly hard to find due to demand from scalpers, online influencers and investors, which continues to outpace record factory production. Key drivers include scalpers and bots buying up stock during restocks to resell at a mark-up, "rip and ship" pack-opening content on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, driving speculative buying, and some buyers treating sealed boxes and rare cards as investments rather than a hobby.

The bottom line: The vending machine may be new, but Ipswich's many high street retailers still offer genuine Pokémon cards at lower prices than those on offer inside it.

Sailmakers were approached for comment.

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