Overview

• Border officials intercepted almost 259,000 counterfeit toys worth over £3.5 million this year, with fake Labubus accounting for about 236,000 of the items, according to the Intellectual Property Office.
• Expert testing reported by the IPO found three in four seized toys failed critical checks, citing small detachable parts that pose choking hazards and banned chemicals linked to cancer.
• The IPO launched a Fake Toys, Real Harms campaign to steer shoppers toward safer buying practices as demand for the collectible surges before the holidays.
• U.S. regulators said investigators identified multiple shipments of lookalike dolls entering from China and requested seizure of thousands of units, warning the fakes can break into small parts that block airways.
• Local enforcement continues on UK high streets, with Kensington and Chelsea trading standards seizing 130 counterfeits in recent raids and warning sellers they could face prosecution if they persist.