Sutton (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hundreds of counterfeit Labubu dolls have been seized in Sutton, with trading standards warning they pose a serious safety risk to children.
A London authority has warned that the rise in fake Labubu dolls presents a “serious safety risk to children.”
More than 200 of the “dangerous” toys have been seized in just two months, according to Sutton Council, which attributes this to the brand’s widespread appeal online.
According to Trading Standards, low-quality Labubu dolls with plush bodies and vinyl faces have loose parts and shoddy stitching that could cause small children to choke.
A holograph sticker and a scannable QR code are features of authentic Labubu dolls, which are manufactured by the Chinese toy manufacturer Pop Mart.
Labubu dolls, which are based on the storybooks The Monsters by Korean artist Kasing Lung, are described as “kind-hearted and always wants to help, but often accidentally achieves the opposite” on the retailer’s website.
Forbes claims that Pop Mart’s overall income more than doubled to £1.33 billion ($1.81 billion) last year due to the popularity of Labubu dolls.
Because of their popularity, many Labubu dolls are being offered for sale on unreliable websites or by unauthorized street vendors.
Rare Labubu dolls have sold for almost £170,000, whereas regular dolls cost between £10 and to £40.
At least 230 suspected counterfeit dolls were sized by Trading Standards officials from Sutton and Kingston upon Thames in July and August.
Sutton Council said:
“If you believe you have bought a dangerous toy, stop children from playing with it immediately and report it to Trading Standards.
Sutton businesses should: Do due diligence — only purchase stock from legitimate suppliers and keep full invoices and traceability records.
Never buy from unknown sellers — always remember that selling counterfeit or unsafe toys is a criminal offence.”
Sutton is not the first to raise concerns about the alarming increase in dangerous Labubu dolls available for purchase.
Scotland’s Moray Council said earlier this week that it had confiscated over 100 of the phony Labubu dolls during the summer.
What actions did Sutton Trading Standards take after seizing the dolls?
They issued alerts to residents warning about the serious safety risks these fake dolls pose, emphasizing choking hazards from small detachable parts and potential exposure to harmful chemicals.
They urged consumers to buy only from reputable retailers, check for official branding like holographic stickers and scannable QR codes on genuine dolls, and to stop children from playing with any suspicious toys immediately.
Residents were encouraged to report dangerous dolls to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service to facilitate further action. Trading Standards committed to continued surveillance of the local market to identify and remove unsafe counterfeit toys.