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Choke warning over fake versions of must-have toy popular with celebrities
Council bosses in the UK have warned people about the dangers of buying fake versions of a furry doll that has become a global sensation.
Labubus are Chinese-made cheeky-looking, sharp-toothed soft toys resembling a bear that can be fastened to handbags. Styled to resemble grinning female elves, their popularity has caused queues at toy shops, including last month at the opening of Germany's first Labubu outlet in Berlin.
They are a type of plushie, defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as "a toy made from cloth and filled with a soft material so that it is pleasant to hold, often in the form of an animal". Rihanna and Dua Lipa are among the celebrity fans pictured with them on social media, and they are now sweeping the UK.
But the toys are not cheap, with one UK retailer, Labubu's, offering them at around £20 each while on the Pop Mart website, they cost between £14 and £80. Their surge in popularity has made them a target for counterfeiters and instead of forking out for the genuine article, many customers have bought cheaper versions, known as 'Lafufus', fakes that have detachable parts, including eyes, that could cause choking.
Hull City Council's head of public protection, Rachel Stephenson, said the fakes are "simply not worth the risk.
Amir Nisi
Creative and experienced content writer with 6+ years of experience lazy to create unique content strategy for News5 to turn website visitors into customers.
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