"Danger if broken into small pieces, risk of choking"
Flood of counterfeits amid La Booboo's popularity... Over 7,000 cases detected in Korea
There has been a warning that fake 'La Booboo' (LABUBU) dolls distributed in the United States may pose a risk of choking and death to children.
On August 18 (local time), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an urgent warning about counterfeit La Booboo plush dolls. La Booboo is a character doll from the Chinese toy brand Pop Mart and has recently gained explosive popularity, especially among Generation Z (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s).
Currently, fake La Booboo dolls are being sold in the U.S. as plush toys or keychains. The CPSC explained that there have been reports of children blocking their airways by putting the dolls in their mouths, and that the dolls easily break into small pieces, increasing the risk of choking. The commission advised consumers to immediately stop using counterfeit products.
"Danger if a child puts it in their mouth or swallows small pieces"
CPSC investigators identified these counterfeits in several shipments attempting to enter the U.S. from China and requested the seizure of thousands of products found to be in violation of federal law.
Peter Feldman, Acting Chairman of the CPSC, stated, "Fake La Booboo dolls are dangerous and illegal. They have no place in American homes. To protect your children, only purchase from trusted sellers."
Under U.S. federal law, the import and sale of products that do not meet consumer product safety standards are prohibited.
The CPSC plans to actively crack down on dangerous imports before they reach households. The commission also urged consumers to avoid La Booboo dolls sold at excessively low prices and to carefully check for distinguishing features compared to genuine products. Authentic dolls have a hologram sticker and safety label attached. Another feature of genuine dolls is that they have nine teeth.
Flood of counterfeits amid La Booboo's popularity... Over 7,000 cases detected in Korea
As La Booboo dolls have become increasingly popular, a similar warning has been issued in the United Kingdom. On August 13, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) announced that the number of fake La Booboo dolls distributed through online marketplaces and illegal local shops is rapidly increasing. CTSI reported that over 2,000 counterfeit La Booboo dolls were seized from 13 retail stores in the past month, and additional seizures were carried out in areas such as Greater Manchester, Humberside, North Somerset, and Scotland.
In Korea as well, cases of counterfeit La Booboo products entering the country through overseas direct purchases, including Chinese e-commerce platforms, are increasing. According to the Korea Customs Service on August 6, in the past two months, about 7,000 La Booboo-related products suspected of being counterfeit have had their customs clearance suspended.
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