Major crackdown on fake Labubu dolls: Urgent warning over 'unsafe' counterfeit collectables flooding UK market with thousands of toys seized across Britain

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

Labubu dolls have become a global sensation amongst children, teenagers and even the like of major celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Rihanna.
However, such high demand for the viral collectables, sold by Chinese toymaker Popmart, has seen UK markets flooded with 'unsafe' counterfeits.
The Chartered Trading Standards (CTSI) Institute are warning parents and collectors about fakes being sold illegally by third-party sellers online and inside local shops.
Their teams have seized thousands of unsafe counterfeit Labubu dolls in recent weeks - with many even being reported to them by concerned parents.
In just one month, over 2,000 were confiscated from 13 retailers in North Tyneside, with further seizures in Greater Manchester, Humberside, North Somerset, and Scotland.
Fake Labubus are poorly made and often breach the UK's Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, , lacking CE or UKCA safety markings, importer details, and required safety warnings.
Without proper safety checks, they may also contain toxic substances such as lead, harmful dyes, or banned plasticisers.
They are also deemed unsafe due to many of them containing small, detachable parts such as eyes, hands, and feet, which present a serious choking hazard to young children.
Loose stitching and exposed stuffing further increase the risk of suffocation.
Genuine Labubu dolls from Pop Mart have a distinctive elf-like design and include authenticity markers, including a holographic Pop Mart sticker and a scannable QR code linking to their official website.
Pop Mart has even started putting a subtle UV stamp on one foot of newer editions to combat fakes.
Signs of a fake include overly vibrant colours and too many teeth - authentic Labubus only have nine.
These markers are commonly missing or poorly replicated on counterfeit dolls.
CTSI has issued advise to consumers who still want to collect Labubus but want to avoid dangerous fakes.
Before buying, make sure you inspect the packaging carefully – check for a UKCA or CE mark, and make sure the product lists a UK-based importer or manufacturer. Warnings and usage instructions should be visible on the box.
Check for authenticity markers, especially the UV stamp on the Labubus feet on recent releases. Under UV light, you should see a silhouette of the specific model.
Inspect the appearance and compare it to pictures of genuine dolls - be wary of any poorly done stitching, overly bright colours and too many teeth.
Don't be won over by 'bargains' as counterfeits are often cheaper than the real deal.
The figures retail from around £17.50, but price varies depending on size, edition and rarity - with some fetching up to thousands of pounds from resellers.
The best way to make sure you're buying genuine Labubus is to purchase them straight from Pop Mart either in store or online.
Kerry Nicol, External Affairs Manager at CTSI, said: 'These dolls are fast becoming the latest must have craze, which is being amplified by social media influencers promoting and showcasing 'unboxing' of the products on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
'Supply and demand means that legitimate Labubu dolls are almost impossible to find.
'Parents understandably want to be able to get their hands on these toys for their children and rightly expect the toys they buy to be safe, but dangerous counterfeits are finding their way into the market, often being sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces and from shops on the highstreet that have no regard for the safety of their customers.
'These fake products bypass the rigorous safety checks and compliance requirements the law demands, meaning they could contain choking hazards, toxic materials, or faulty components that put children at serious risk.
'Everyone involved in the supply chain – from manufacturers and fulfilment houses to sellers and marketplaces should have a role to play in ensuring unsafe toys never reach the hands of children.'
Christine Heemskerk, CTSI Lead Officer for Product Safety, said: 'Fake dolls are poorly made in unsafe manufacturing premises.
Counterfeiters do not follow safety standards and are unlikely to have good factory controls in place.
A fake Labubu doll might contain hazardous chemicals in the plastic which can cause lifetime damage to a child's organs.
Small parts such as eyes could easily detach posing a serious choking hazard for small children. Beware of putting your child at risk by buying cheap unsafe fakes.
Jerry Burnie, Head of Toy Safety at British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA), said: 'Counterfeit toys are a significant risk as they are unlikely to meet the strict toy safety standards required of the legitimate toy maker.
'When shopping for branded items we would always recommend researching the toy brand and try to buy from the company directly or through a reputable retailer who you can easily return the product to.
'If you are buying online, particularly through an online marketplace, then include the name of the toy company in the search and compare the listing against the toy company's own website.'
The grinning toys have been inspired by the illustrated book series The Monsters, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, in which Labubus are a tribe of female elves.
They have become the must-have item for thousands of young adults, teens and children.
A major part of the appeal is that buying one is a bit of a gamble as many of them come in 'blind boxes' - meaning customers don't know which colour Labubu they have until they open it.
Some are rarer than others or more sought after and there are 'surprise' editions which are even harder to come by.
Many people queue up outside Pop Mart locations for up to five hours on days they are releasing a new series of dolls just to get their hands on one or resell them on for a higher price.
In May, a mass brawl broke out between a group of shoppers who were trying to get their hands on the viral Labubu toys.
Shocking footage shared on social media showed several men hurling punches at one another as security guards and others desperately tried to separate them.
The group had supposedly been trying to purchase some Labubu dolls at a Pop Mart store in Stratford's Westfield shopping centre when the chaos erupted.
It is not the first time the Labubus sparked violence among fans of the furry fashion accessory, with one woman also telling the BBC she witnessed a fight between a worker and a shopper in the same store.
Pop Mart then announced it would pull all of its Labubu plushies from its 16 UK stores until June to 'prevent any potential safety issues'.
At the time, the company told the BBC this was 'not the kind of customer experience it aimed to offer' and promised the dolls would 'return to physical stores' next month as they work on a 'new release mechanism'.