Main developments:
259,000 fake toys worth over £3.5m have been seized at the UK border so far this year - equivalent to 24 tonnes of goods
90% of these - 236,000 items - were counterfeit Labubu dolls, seized before they could reach UK consumers
75% of seized counterfeit toys fail safety tests with banned chemicals and choking hazards found, while 46% of those purchasing them experienced serious safety issues
With seven in ten toy buyers motivated by cost, and just 27% citing safety as a purchase consideration, a new campaign aims to highlight the hidden harms of fake toys
Counterfeit toys are putting children at risk, prompting urgent warnings from the government, Trading Standards teams and child safety experts. Home Office figures reveal that around 259,000 fake toys worth over £3.