Consumers issued urgent warning as fake Labubu dolls swarm the UK
Over the past few months, Labubu dolls have taken over the world, and suppliers can’t keep up with the demand.
For those who have been living under a rock this summer, Labubu’s are plushie dolls created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Chinese manufacturer Pop Mart. They have become a viral sensation, causing fights to break out in toy stores from London to Los Angeles as people clamour to get their hands on a toy.
Every child wants their own Labubu, and Pop Mart cannot produce them quickly enough, so, naturally, the market has become flooded with fakes. Now, authorities have issued a strong statement advising people not to buy inauthentic products that have been deemed a choking risk.
The UK’s Chartered Trading Standards Institute has issued a statement claiming that “counterfeit Labubu dolls are poorly made and unsafe”.
They also said: “Many contain 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.”
As these counterfeit products avoid the typical safety checks that toys need to pass in order to reach shelves they may also contain toxic substances such as lead, harmful dyes, or banned plasticisers.
Only last week, the Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation after a group of masked thieves burgled a store in the dead of night and stole $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls, which they’ve likely sold on the black market for an extortionate price.
Then, on August 12th, in a seemingly separate case, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed they had found $30,000 worth of Labubu dolls at a home in Southern California.