British parents have been warned to be wary of dangerous counterfeit Labubus as rogue traders cash in on the popularity of the viral toys.
Labubus have swept the internet in recent weeks, with the fuzzy plush toys dividing the public. The fang-toothed characters are in extremely high demand, with queues often seen outside shops and retailers regularly running out of stock.
This has pushed consumers to seek out fake versions of the toys, which are commonly seen dangling from luxury bags.
But consumers have been warned that some of the knock-off versions pose a health-risk to young children, as the poorly made fakes have small parts which can easily detach.
Hull City Council’s Trading Standards team said it had seized hundreds of the “dangerous” counterfeit toys from a number of shops around the city, and warned many more will likely still be on sale.
“These fakes can seem appealing,” Rachel Stephenson, Head of Public Protection, said. They might be cheaper or more easily available than the real thing, which can be tempting when children are desperate to get their hands on one. However, it is simply not worth the risk.
“These counterfeit toys are poorly made and haven’t been subject to the same standards and checks as the real thing. They can easily come apart, posing a serious choking hazard for small children. Our Trading Standards team would urge all parents to check products carefully, and only purchase those they’re certain are genuine”.
It said the fake dolls can be spotted by a series of features that set them apart from the real thing including differences in packaging, teeth, mouth, expression, quality, and foot detail.
Real Labubu boxes have a matt finish and muted colours, while fakes are often glossy and overly vibrant. The team told consumers to look for a holographic POP MART sticker and a QR code.
It added that while authentic Labubus have nine triangular teeth resembling fangs, the fakes might have more or fewer teeth and may be less defined.
Real Labubus also generally have higher quality fur, with a well-blended blush on their cheeks applied by airbrush and embedded glossy eyes. However, the fakes might have uneven fur, odd colours, or wobbly limbs.
Newer Labubu editions have a UV-detectable seal on the right foot. Under UV light, you should see a silhouette of the specific Labubu model, Hull City Council’s Trading Standards team said.
