They’re wide-eyed, fluffy and dressed like they’ve raided the wardrobe of a Wes Anderson film. But behind the whimsical charm of Labubu dolls, the collectable figurines that have become the latest must-have for Ireland’s TikTok generation, lurks an underbelly of fakes, customs seizures and child safety warnings.
With Black Friday and Christmas approaching, officials are bracing for a surge in sales and seizures. About 1,000 fake Labubu dolls have been intercepted at Irish ports and postal hubs so far this year, triggering an investigation by the state’s consumer watchdog.
Originally dreamt up by the Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and produced by the Chinese toy giant Pop Mart, Labubu dolls have become more than just playthings: they’re fashion accessories, collector’s items, and, increasingly, a headache for Irish regulators.
Adored by children and trend-chasing adults, the dolls — often dressed as everything from pirates to pop stars — have a cult following. Some editions vanish from shops within minutes, with fans queuing online and in-store to get their hands on them. Even celebrities including David Beckham, Rihanna and Dua Lipa have been seen carrying Labubus on their designer bags.
However, popularity breeds piracy. A flood of cheap, and potentially dangerous, counterfeit dolls, often branded under knock-off names such as Lafufu, is pouring into the country, mostly from China, Hong Kong and Turkey.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said this weekend that about a thousand “units” of “Labubu-type dolls” had been referred to the watchdog by Revenue customs since January as part of continuing investigations.
Grainne Griffin, director of communications at the CCPC, said it had received customer complaints over Labubu-type dolls. “The consumers in question raised safety concerns in relation to the products, and investigations are ongoing,” she said.
Fake dolls tend to have detachable parts that are a choking hazard for children
PA
“It’s clear that Labubu dolls are a huge trend right now and we’ve seen trends like this before, for example, hoverboards in 2015 and fidget spinners in 2017. The problem with these massive spikes in popularity for a particular toy, such as Labubu dolls, is that it can lead to a flood of fake versions entering the market. These unauthenticated products may be poorly made, with loose parts posing a choking hazard. They may also contain unsafe paints, plastics or dyes.”
Maureen Dalton, a Revenue customs officer with responsibility for the Dublin mail centres and parcel hub, said most counterfeit Labubu dolls were bought through online stores or social media.
“Some of them would be of poor quality and fail to conform with our accepted product standards,” she said. “When there is a trend for a particular toy or product, particularly in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas, we do tend to see an increase in counterfeit versions. So the Labubus are obviously a popular toy at the moment and we expect to see more of them in the coming weeks and months.”
The volume of fake goods seized has triggered an investigation by consumer watchdogs
Counterfeit Labubu dolls tend to be poorly made and unsafe, containing small detachable parts such as eyes, hands and feet, that present a serious choking hazard to young children.
“The message for consumers really is to be careful, because if you buy something like that it can be dangerous,” Dalton said.
Increasingly, counterfeit toys are used to smuggle narcotics. “Cannabis continues to be the most common drug detected in the postage and courier systems, and we have uncovered them in board games, in toys, in clothing items and foodstuff,” Dalton added.
Retailers such as Arnotts, select comic book shops and niche toy stores stock authentic Labubu products, with standard editions retailing for €20 to €40, and rare releases fetching far more on the resale market. But distinguishing the genuine article from a knock-off is not always easy, especially for frantic parents trying to secure the “must-have” toy before Christmas.
Eason stores in Wexford had to issue a recall notice in August after it inadvertently sold counterfeit Labubu dolls. At least 74 fakes were sold over a three-day period between July 22 and 25.