Viral Labubu doll sales halted as desperate shoppers brawl

Viral monster bag charms have been pulled from shops after reports of desperate customers fighting over them.

Pop Mart, which makes Labubu dolls, has temporarily suspended in-store sales of the furry toys in all 16 of its UK shops due to safety concerns.

There have been chaotic scenes outside its Soho flagship store, with long queues forming from as early as 7am on restock days.

Social media posts showed resellers buying multiple Labubus — which cost between £13.50 and £50 — from the Oxford Street store to flog for triple the price. Rare editions have been known to fetch several hundred pounds on resale platforms.

In the US, there have been reports of people breaking into cars to steal the sought-after toys, and some buyers have been purchasing protective cases for their dolls to protect them from thieves.

Pop Mart UK said: “Due to the increasing demand for our beloved Labubus, we’ve seen a significant rise in customer turnout. To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone, we will temporarily pause all in-store and Roboshop sales.”

• Labubu dolls: why adults are queueing up for these exclusive toys

A spokesman added: “Labubu will return to physical stores in June, and we are currently working on a new release mechanism that is better structured and more equitable for everyone involved.”

Labubu dolls are a range of quirky, elfish creatures created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung. Originally launched in China, Pop Mart opened its first European flagship in London in 2022 and has since seen a meteoric rise in popularity, driven by social media hype.

Labubus are sold in “blind boxes,” meaning fans never know exactly which version they’ll receive.

“For this company, the concept of the blind box is quite new, and people are attracted to it because of its surprise element,” the Oxford Street store manager told The Times. “People are willing to accept it as a challenge and they never know what they’re going to get. I think it’s a fun activity, especially for Gen Z and younger generations.”

The reality television star Olivia Attwood with a Labubu on her bag

INSTAGRAM/OLIVIA_ATTWOOD

Dua Lipa has also been seen with the furry collectables

GOFF

The hashtag “Labubu” has amassed more than 1.4 million posts on TikTok, with videos showing queues outside the Soho store, unboxings and display shelves filled with dozens of variations of the toy.

Demand has been fuelled by celebrities including Dua Lipa, Olivia Attwood and Rihanna.

Angelina PJ, a TikTok influencer, has filmed several Labubu unboxing videos. She said: “I love the Labubu trend. I’m actually a bit annoyed now though because everything sold out as social media made it so big. I was there from the beginning when it wasn’t really a thing.”

However, she believes it won’t last forever: “Slowly but surely, everyone just moves onto a new thing to obsess over.”