Comic Shop Unseals Your Pokémon Box Before You Pay: Forbidden Planet Norwich's New Rules

> Quick answer: Forbidden Planet on St Stephens Street, Norwich, opens the outer packaging of new trading card game releases at the till before you pay. Each customer can buy 1 Elite Trainer Box, tin bundle or box, or up to 3 booster packs of new Pokémon, One Piece, Lorcana and Magic: The Gathering releases.

A comic shop in Norwich is changing how new card releases get sold. The rules are strict and specific, and they don't stop at Pokémon.

Here's what the rules say, how they work at the counter, and why collectors in other countries are watching.

What are Forbidden Planet Norwich's new purchase limits?

Forbidden Planet on St Stephens Street, Norwich, has set purchase limits on new trading card game releases.

The limit is simple. Each customer can buy one of these:

• 1 Elite Trainer Box
• 1 tin bundle
• 1 box
• Or up to 3 booster packs

That's it. You can't stack an ETB on top of a box, and you can't walk out with a handful of packs plus a tin. One sealed product or up to three packs per person.

Which trading card games do the rules cover?

The rules aren't only about Pokémon. They cover new releases of four games:

• Pokémon
• One Piece
• Lorcana
• Magic: The Gathering

So if you collect any of the big four, the same limits apply when a new set lands.

Why does the shop open Pokémon boxes before you pay?

This is the part that has people talking. Before payment, staff open the outer packaging at the till, right in front of you.

The shop's stated aim is to keep new releases fair. Pair a firm one-per-customer limit with unsealing at the counter and the rules are clearly aimed at getting new stock into the hands of people who want to open it.

It's a bold move. For collectors who keep sealed product, it's a dealbreaker. For players who rip packs the day they buy them, nothing really changes.

What does unsealing at the till look like?

It depends on the product:

• Elite Trainer Boxes: staff take the plastic wrap off.
• Boxes: staff open the glued side.

This happens at the till, before you pay. You see it done, and you leave with the product already opened.

If you planned to keep an ETB sealed on a shelf, this isn't the place to buy it on release day. If you're opening it anyway, it's a few seconds at the counter.

Is stock limited at Forbidden Planet Norwich?

Yes. Stock is limited and sold while stocks last. When it's gone, it's gone.

The shop recommends getting in early. It has also made clear that abuse of staff won't be tolerated. That's worth remembering if you turn up late and the shelf is empty. The people at the till are carrying out the rules, not writing them.

How do you get the Pokémon Run Pikachu promo card?

Pokémon went further than any shop limit. Pokémon Run events have begun for 2026, and completing one earns an exclusive Pikachu promo card.

In other words, the card is locked behind physical exercise. You can't just buy it. You have to finish a Pokémon Run to earn it.

It's a different way to tackle the same problem. A promo you earn by taking part is much harder to bulk-buy than one sitting on a shelf.

Should Target and Pokémon Center copy this?

This is the big question for collectors around the world.

Forbidden Planet Norwich is one shop on one street. Its rules are clear: one sealed product or up to three packs, opened at the till, sold while stocks last. Bigger retailers like Target and Pokémon Center work at a very different scale, so any copycat policy would look different.

Still, the idea is out there now. Purchase limits on their own are common. Unsealing at the till is not. Whether bigger names follow is something the whole hobby will be watching.

How can you give yourself the best chance on release day?

Based on what the shop has said:

1. Get in early. Stock is limited and sold while stocks last.

2. Know the limit before you queue. 1 ETB, tin bundle or box, or up to 3 booster packs.

3. Expect the packaging to be opened. Wrap comes off ETBs, and the glued side of boxes is opened at the till.

4. Be respectful. Abuse of staff won't be tolerated.

At Greedy TCG, we track the cards and releases worth paying attention to. Rules like these change who gets new stock and how, so they're worth understanding before your next release day.

FAQ

Does Forbidden Planet Norwich open booster packs too?

The rules say staff open the outer packaging, meaning the plastic wrap on Elite Trainer Boxes and the glued side of boxes. Booster packs are covered by the purchase limit of up to 3 per customer.

Can I buy an Elite Trainer Box and booster packs together?

No. Each customer can buy 1 Elite Trainer Box, tin bundle or box, or up to 3 booster packs, not a mix of them.

How do I get the exclusive Pikachu promo card?

You have to complete a Pokémon Run event. These events have begun for 2026, and finishing one earns you the exclusive Pikachu promo card.