Labubus: Consumer watchdog and Choice issue warning over fake dolls

They are the must-have toy of 2025 — strange-looking plush monsters that are so highly sought after they’ve spawned a lucrative counterfeit market.

But Labubu owners have been warned by Australian consumer watchdogs and Choice that fake versions of the popular toy could pose a serious risk to young children.

Labubu dolls, created by Chinese retailer Pop Mart, are sold for about $30 in Australia and their popularity has soared in recent months, driven largely by TikTok. Celebrities including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa have been seen with the unlikely cult accessory.

But the craze has spawned fake versions of the popular toys, dubbed Lafufus, which are widely available at discount stores and online, and often much cheaper than the genuine versions.

Choice revealed this week it had carried out a quality test on counterfeit Lafufus, purchased from online marketplace Shein and an Australian two-dollar shop.

They found the dolls had small, easily detachable parts which could represent a choking hazard to infants and fail the “small parts test” when it came to Australian standards.

Choice test coordinator of children’s products Antonio Bonacruz said the three out of the five dolls purchased had small rubber parts which easily detached from the foot, and the plastic eyes easily popped out of another when it was squeezed.

“The real doll had no small parts that were easily removed,” she said.

Mr Bonacruz said the dolls were marketed at school-aged children and young adults and were not suitable for young children.

“These items, whether genuine or imitation, are not toys for babies and toddlers and should not be treated as such,” he said.

“It is important that parents are aware of the potential harm to infants and younger children,” he adds.

A WA Consumer Protection spokeswoman said the organisation had received two consumer complaints about counterfeit Labubu plush dolls, “specifically relating to concerns about product quality.”

“While no product safety complaints about fake Labubu dolls have been received in Western Australia, we remind parents and carers to exercise caution,” the spokeswoman said.

“Toys should be age-appropriate, and those intended for children under three years of age should be carefully checked to ensure they do not contain small parts that could detach and present a choking risk.

In August, the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the United States identified shipments of fake Labubus and requested the seizure of thousands of the toys due to safety risks.

The acting chairman Peter Feldman said at the time the dupes had “no place in American homes”.

Genuine Labubus can be purchased from Pop Mart, online or in store, or through verified retailers such as EB Games.