Fake toys, real harms: experts warn parents of dangerous fake toys
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-10)

New Intellectual Property Office campaign warns buyers of major health and safety risks.

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 £3.5m have already been seized by Border Force at the UK border this year. Shocking findings following raids also show that 75% of counterfeit toys seized failed critical safety tests.

The “Fake Toys, Real Harms” campaign – spearheaded by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) along with leading toy retailers, local authorities and social media influencers – is highlighting the dangers identified by expert testing of the goods seized. These include counterfeit toys containing banned chemicals linked to cancer, dangerous choking hazards, and other serious risks – including in toys marketed at toddlers and infants.

The safety concerns chime with consumer experiences of counterfeit toys: research for the IPO found nearly half (46%) of those who purchased counterfeits reported problems ranging from toys breaking almost instantly to unsafe labelling, toxic smells and even reports of illness in children.

Awareness is high, but safety comes last

Research for the IPO also shows that while 92% of toy buyers are aware of counterfeit products being sold in the UK, saving money - rather than considering safety - is currently top of mind when comes to purchasing decisions. Seven in ten toy buyers prioritise cost while 43% will make purchases in response to a demand from their child. Quality (48%) and brand recognition (46%) are also influencing choices.

Safety, however, ranks far lower in consumers’ consideration: only 27% of toy buyers cite this as a factor that influences their decision, highlighting the need to raise awareness of the risks.

The Fake Toys, Real Harms campaign warns parents and present buyers that counterfeit toys, while often cheaper, could have devastating consequences for children’s health and safety.

Seizure figures reveal an industrial-scale problem that goes far beyond viral trends

Figures from the Home Office underscore the scale of the problem. In 2025 alone, customs and enforcement officers at UK Border Force have so far seized 53 separate counterfeit toy shipments entering the UK through air cargo, courier and parcel hubs. In total, 259,812 counterfeit toys and related products were intercepted – equivalent to 24 tonnes of goods – before they could reach consumers. The retail value of these items is estimated at nearly £3.5 million.

One of the starkest examples comes from counterfeit Labubu dolls – a hugely popular collectible toy range. Since the start of 2025, more than 200,000 counterfeit Labubu dolls have already been seized before they could reach UK consumers, accounting for around 90% of all counterfeit toys seized in the UK this year. Experts have since valued the haul at nearly £3.3 million.

But experts are warning that the Labubu trend is just the tip of the iceberg: criminals involved in counterfeiting are targeting a wide range of toys across multiple categories, leaving children exposed to unsafe, poor-quality products across the market.

The IPO’s Deputy Director of Enforcement, Helen Barnham said:

With counterfeit toys, what you see is rarely what you get. Behind the packaging can be hidden choking hazards, toxic chemicals and faulty parts that put children in real danger. These products have bypassed every safety check the law requires, which is why we’re working with our partners to keep these dangerous fakes out of UK homes. Our ‘Fake Toys, Real Harm’ campaign aims to raise awareness among parents and present buyers of the hidden harms associated with counterfeits. Child safety must come first, so we’re urging parents – please don’t let your child be the tester.

Phillip Holiday, Border Force regional director said:

Border Force has seized over 259,000 dangerous counterfeit toys worth £3.5 million this year, preventing them from reaching UK families. We work with partners to identify and intercept these dangerous products at UK borders, disrupting criminal networks and protecting children from unsafe toys.

Help to spot the hidden harms

Research for the IPO shows that more than half of toy buyers (58%) would think twice about buying a counterfeit if they knew the safety risks, and 52% would welcome tools to help identify genuine products. It’s why the Fake Toys, Real Harms campaign is shining a light on these dangers in a striking new way.

To bring the issue to life, the campaign includes graphics of mocked-up toy packaging that expose the hidden harms found in counterfeit products. They’ve been designed to be shared on social media to help parents and present buyers spread the word online – where spotting a fake is especially difficult because you can’t inspect the toy up close. These can be found at domain www.faketoys.co.uk (http://www.faketoys.co.uk/). The campaign has the backing of social media influencers, leading toy retailers, Trading Standards and local authorities.

Parenting influencer, ‘Budgeting Mum’, said:

As a parent you just want the peace of mind that the toys you buy are safe for your children. What looks like a bargain can turn out to be something unsafe or even dangerous. With so many people buying toys online now, it can be even harder to spot the fakes. You can’t hold the toy in your hands or check the packaging properly. That’s why this campaign matters: it gives parents like me the confidence to know what to look for, so we can protect our kids.

How to avoid buying counterfeit toys

Before you buy:

stick to trusted retailers or official brand websites and be cautious with third-party sellers on marketplaces

check reviews carefully. Look beyond the five-star ones and read the negatives

be wary of prices that look “too good to be true”. Counterfeits are often much cheaper

make sure the toy has not been recalled by searching the brand and product name

When the toy arrives:

look for a UKCA or CE safety mark and a UK contact address on the packaging

check the packaging looks professional and includes age warnings

inspect the toy: no loose small parts, stuffing, or unsecured batteries

If you spot a Counterfeit or unsafe toy:

don’t give it to your child. Return it straight away

leave a review to warn other parents

report the seller to the platform you bought from

contact Trading Standards to help stop dangerous toys reaching other families

Notes to editors

product testing conducted by Trading Standards and the IPO showed 21 out of 28 counterfeit toys tested failed safety tests

research was conducted for the IPO by AudienceNet between 2 to 5 September 2025 among a nationally representative sample of UK adults who have purchased toys for a child in the past 12 months

the 118 separate counterfeit shipments may include cargo crates containing multiple articles of counterfeit toys, parcels etc

Border Force seizure figures, from January to August 2025 in relation to toys includes all counterfeit toy seizures figures across multiple ports and for multiple brands from January 2025 to August 2025

all seizure figures reflected in this release are in addition to any seizures by Trading Standards or Police forces