Fake Toys, Real Harms: experts warn parents of dangerous fake toys

A 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.

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 at the top of people's minds when it 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.

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.

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. The campaign has the backing of social media influencers, leading toy retailers, Trading Standards and local authorities.

(Source: Intellectual Property Office, 3 October 2025)