£22,000 of fake toys seized as Trading Standards warns of Christmas risks to children

Trading Standards Service (TSS) has seized more than £22,000 worth of counterfeit toys from high street retailers and shopping centres, issuing a stark warning to families ahead of the Christmas shopping rush.

The haul included fake Labubu dolls, K Pop Demon Hunters merchandise, Lego figures and Disney’s Lilo & Stitch products. Some of the counterfeit items were being sold for as much as £80, potentially misleading consumers into believing they were genuine branded goods.

TSS warned that counterfeit toys are often poorly made and unsafe, posing serious risks to children while also undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create jobs. Profits from the sale of fake goods are frequently linked to organised crime.

Nicholas Lane, Trading Standards Service Area Inspector, urged shoppers to remain vigilant, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas.

He said:

“With Christmas shopping in full swing, cheaper alternatives may tempt families, but counterfeit toys carry hidden risks. Counterfeiting funds organised crime, including money laundering and forced labour, harming communities.

“Trading Standards Service will not hesitate to take enforcement action against any trader found to be selling counterfeit goods.”

TSS has also encouraged consumers to buy only from trusted retailers and to be wary of deals that appear unusually cheap.

How to Avoid Buying Fake Toys

Trading Standards Service advises shoppers to:

• Always buy from reputable traders

• Check the quality of the goods – fakes will not be as good as the real thing

• Look for spelling mistakes or poorly printed logos on labels and packaging

• Check spelling and grammar on websites, as fraudsters often pay little attention to detail

• Be cautious of website addresses that slightly alter the spelling of well-known brands

• Check where an online trader is based and whether a full postal address is provided

• Ask about returns policies or guarantees – rogue traders rarely offer these

• Avoid entering payment details if you are unsure whether goods are genuine

Anyone who believes they may have purchased counterfeit goods, or who has information about individuals or businesses selling them, is urged to contact Consumerline on 0300 123 6262, or via the Consumerline service on NI Direct.

Fake Toys, Real Harms Campaign

The seizures come amid the ongoing “Fake Toys, Real Harms” campaign, led by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in partnership with toy retailers, local authorities and social media influencers.

The campaign highlights the dangers posed by counterfeit toys, following expert testing of seized goods.

Figures released as part of the campaign show:

• 259,000 fake toys, worth more than £3.5 million, have been seized at the UK border so far this year

• 90% of these – 236,000 items – were counterfeit Labubu dolls

• 75% of seized counterfeit toys failed safety tests, with banned chemicals and choking hazards identified

• 46% of consumers who bought counterfeit toys reported serious safety issues

Research commissioned by the IPO also found that nearly half of those who purchased fake toys experienced problems ranging from toys breaking almost immediately to unsafe labelling, toxic smells and reports of illness in children.

In Northern Ireland, Trading Standards Service does not hold statutory responsibility for product safety matters, which fall under District Councils’ Environmental Health Departments. This differs from arrangements in Great Britain, where Trading Standards departments do have direct responsibility for product safety enforcement.