Authorities warned that the counterfeit toys could be dangerous
Shoppers have been urged to be vigilant for counterfeit Labubus this festive season after over 100 ‘fakes’ were confiscated from town centre shops. Council officers in Reading, Berkshire, seized 103 toys last month amid concerns they were “harmful”.
Of these, 93 were confirmed as counterfeit, while the authenticity of the remaining 10 could not be verified due to sophisticated packaging. This comes just weeks after a warning was issued over hundreds of labubu fakes being discovered on sale in Central London on Oxford Street and in Soho. The counterfeit toys posed a choking hazard with easily detachable plastic feet and eyes.
Pop Mart, the manufacturer of the globally popular Labubus – quirky, fang-toothed ‘monster elf’ figures – withdrew them from the UK market earlier this year due to safety worries. However, their popularity has sparked a rise in fakes, also known as ‘Lafufus’, with many being sold by third-party sellers via online marketplaces and local shops that are flouting the law.
Reading Borough Council (RBC) revealed its Trading Standards team visited 12 stores in the town centre in October. All were found to be selling Labubu dolls in some form, but couldn’t provide invoices for their stock to verify their authenticity.
Cease and desist letters were then hand delivered to the 10 retailers found to be selling the counterfeit toys, and follow-up enforcement visits a week later found all had successfully removed the toys from sale.
Cllr Karen Rowland, lead councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety at RBC, expressed her concern: “It’s worrying that these harmful toys could have gotten into the hands of children this Christmas. I’d like to thank our Trading Standards officers for their proactive approach in working with our local retailers to ensure there is no harm to our children as a result of these bogus goods.”
She added: “We would strongly urge any parent looking for a bargain this festive period not to “toy” with any child’s safety this Christmas. These impish creatures can be extremely dangerous for young children.”
The counterfeit dolls frequently violate the UK’s Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, missing CE or UKCA safety markings, importer information, and necessary safety warnings. Without adequate safety inspections, it remains unclear whether their materials might contain poisonous substances such as lead, dangerous dyes, or prohibited plasticisers.
As Christmas approaches, RBC is alerting shoppers about the risks of inexpensive, hazardous toys continuing to flood the UK market. They encourage consumers to look for safety marks, ensure the vendor is UK-based with a name and address, and to purchase directly from brands wherever feasible.
Cllr Karen Rowland added: “It is understandable when money is tight, to be tempted by what may look like genuine bargain goods from sellers on the street and online, but the clear message we want to send out is to be on guard; whilst these products may be cheap, you have no guarantee they’re up to standard.”
She continued: “Even though they appear to be sold by popular and reputable retailers, always do your research. At best, you may be disappointed with the quality – at worst, they could be dangerous to you and your family. It really isn’t worth the risk.”
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