The UK toy craze surrounding Pop Mart’s Labubu dolls has taken a dangerous turn, as thousands of counterfeit versions have been seized from high street shops and online sellers. Trading standards officers say the fakes pose “significant safety risks” for children, from choking hazards to toxic materials.
From cult collectable to counterfeit target
Labubu, the furry, elf-like creation of Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, has become one of the most coveted toys in recent years. Pop Mart’s decision to sell the dolls in “blind boxes,” where buyers only discover which character they’ve received after opening, has fuelled demand and driven resale prices as high as £1,000.
But the scarcity has created fertile ground for counterfeits. Fake versions, often called “Lafufus,” are being sold in shops across the country and through online marketplaces. While genuine Labubus carry holographic stickers, scannable QR codes and UV stamps to prove authenticity, the knock-offs are crudely made, with twisted limbs, misshapen heads and even the wrong number of teeth.
Unsafe and illegal
The fakes have been found to breach the UK’s Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, lacking CE or UKCA safety markings, importer details and required safety warnings. Many also contain detachable parts or loose stitching that could present choking hazards. Authorities warn some may be made with harmful dyes, banned plasticisers or even traces of lead.
“Parents understandably want to get their hands on these toys, but the dangerous counterfeits being sold have no regard for children’s safety,” said Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute.
Raids across the country
Trading standards teams across the UK have ramped up enforcement in recent months. In North Tyneside, 2,000 fake dolls were seized from 13 retailers during a three-week crackdown. In Staffordshire, officers confiscated 840 dolls and 200 counterfeit accessories, including bags and keyrings, from vendors at a Penkridge market. In North Somerset, more than 600 “unsafe and dangerous” toys were removed from shops in Weston-super-Mare. In South Lanarkshire, 588 fakes were recovered from 42 premises. In Moray, Scotland, more than 100 were seized from Elgin town centre shops.
Pop Mart has struggled to keep pace with the craze, even suspending UK sales in 2023 after reports of customers queuing overnight and fighting over stock. That scarcity, experts say, has turbocharged demand and given counterfeiters an opening.
Officials advise parents to check for holographic Pop Mart stickers, QR codes and UV stamps on genuine dolls.