Cute but deadly? Fake Labubu dolls pose choking risk

The counterfeit dupes of the popular plush Labubu dolls are sometimes called “Lafufus” - but the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has another name for them: choking hazards.

The commission issued a warning on Monday for consumers to avoid the counterfeit dolls because they pose “a serious risk of choking and death to young children.” The knockoffs “break apart easily, releasing small pieces that can become choking hazards,” the commission said, urging consumers to stop buying and using Lafufus “immediately.”

“These fake Labubu dolls are dangerous, illegal, and have no place in American homes,” Acting Chairman Peter Feldman said in a statement. “No parent should have to wonder if a toy will stop their child from breathing. Protect your children and buy only from reputable sellers.”

Fakes of the “ugly-cute” toys have flooded the market after the grinning, bunny-eared bag charms became the latest fashion must-have. While Labubu fans camp out overnight for the original dolls and Pop Mart stores around the world sell out, Lafufu fakes have also risen in popularity, finding their way into shopping districts in Taipei, Taiwan; Seoul and New York City. Chinese customs officials announced the seizure of nearly 49,000 suspected Lafufus in recent weeks.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said it “will continue aggressive enforcement at U.S. ports to block dangerous imports before they reach American families” and warned consumers to be on the lookout for fakes. Authentic Pop Mart Labubu dolls feature a holographic Pop Mart sticker and a scannable QR code linking to the official Pop Mart site, and newer editions also have a subtle UV stamp on one foot, the commission said. Meanwhile, fake Lafufus will “often have overly bright colors or the wrong number of teeth,” the commission said - authentic Labubus have nine teeth.

Britain’s Chartered Trading Standards Institute issued a similar consumer warning this month, after teams in recent weeks confiscated thousands of counterfeit Labubus dolls across the country. “Supply and demand means that legitimate Labubu dolls are almost impossible to find,” Kerry Nicol, the institute’s external affairs manager, said in a statement. The demand has been so great that Pop Mart in London had to stop carrying the dolls in May after brawls broke out at the stores.

Pop Mart sold about $418 million worth of Labubus last year, its founder said in July.