Unsafe Dolls Flooding the Market

Sutton Council's Trading Standards team is alerting residents to a rise in dangerous, counterfeit Labubu dolls. Fuelled by the brand’s online popularity, these fake toys pose serious safety risks, particularly for children.

Between July and August 2025, Trading Standards officers from Kingston and Sutton seized over 230 suspected counterfeit dolls. Inspections revealed critical safety failures, including:

• Choking Hazards: Small parts like hands, feet and eyes easily coming off the dolls. Poor-quality stitching and stuffing also created a choking risk.
• Unknown Materials: The toys are made from unverified materials that have not been tested to UK safety standards and may contain harmful chemicals.
• Fake Safety Marks: The packaging of these counterfeit dolls often has falsified markings, misleading consumers into believing they are safe.
• Untraceable Origins: Traders often cannot provide invoices and claim their stock is supplied by unknown individuals. This lack of traceability makes it impossible to verify the manufacturer or importer.

Trading Standards officers advise Sutton residents to:

• Buy from reputable retailers - avoid buying from unlicensed street sellers or unverified online sources.
• Check for official branding - genuine Labubu dolls have a holograph sticker and a scannable QR code.
• Report unsafe toys - if you believe you have bought a dangerous toy, stop children from playing with it immediately and report it to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service at 0800 144 8848.

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.

For free business guidance, visit www.businesscompanion.info or contact your local Trading Standards Team.