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Parents in Australia have been warned to steer clear of counterfeit Labubu toys, or Lafufus, after regulators found that the fakes may contain unsafe levels of lead and pose a serious choking risk to young children.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a product safety alert on Wednesday, asking parents to “watch out for potential safety risks associated with counterfeit or fake Labubu dolls and keep these products away from young children”.
The commission pointed out that some of the toys were small enough for a child to swallow, and some came with detachable parts like eyes, feet and hands, as well as poor stitching.
Additionally, the warning cited reports that Lafufus may contain “unsafe levels of harmful chemicals, such as lead”.
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Created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung as part of a whimsical collection of characters dubbed The Monsters, and inspired by Dutch and Nordic folklore, the appeal of Labubu toys lies in their ugly-cute aesthetic.
The toys are sold predominantly by the Chinese company Pop Mart, which runs stores across the world, including the US and the UK. They usually come in “blind boxes”, each containing a randomly chosen toy, meaning you won’t know which Labubu character or colour you are getting until you open it.
What started out as a niche art toy is now a billion-dollar phenomenon. In the first half of 2025, Pop Mart reported around $670m (£500m) in revenue from the Labubu Monsters series, with projections to surpass $1bn (£745m) by the end of the year, outpacing brands like Barbie and Hot Wheels.
As demand for Labubus soars and stores regularly sell out, Lafufus are increasingly appearing in corner shops and local supermarkets in the UK and Europe. This summer, Labubus were reportedly reselling for more than £1,000 each, with a child-sized toy selling for almost $150,000.
The growing popularity and demand for Labubus has created a market for counterfeits. Generally sold by third-party retailers at a fraction of the price of an original Labubu, the shoddy imitations feature detachable parts and loose stitching, presenting a clear choking hazard for young users.
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In its advisory, the Australian regulator recommended that customers buy only from authorised retailers and check for tell-tale signs of authenticity. It asked all buyers to compare stitching and fabrics with original Labubus and remember that a significantly lower price may indicate a counterfeit.
Genuine Labubus are identified by their furry monster-like appearance. Counterfeits often have twisted limbs, misshapen heads, or an incorrect number of teeth. The real Labubus have nine teeth.
In September, border force chiefs said fake Labubu dolls made up 90 per cent of potentially “dangerous” fake toys coming into the UK.
Agents have seized over 259,000 counterfeit toys at the border so far this year, worth around £3.5m, according to Home Office data. They have said almost 236,000 of these were knockoff versions of the collectible Pop Mart monster dolls, which have caused long queues and bedlam inside shops after going viral.