Scarborough and Whitby Fake Dolls Seizure Prompts Safety Warning as Christmas Nears

Parents are being urged not to fall victim to rogue traders while buying Christmas presents for their children following the seizure of a large number of fake and unsafe toys.

Officers from North Yorkshire Council’s trading standards team recovered a haul of Labubu dolls at several retail premises in the county recently. 

The items are collectible toys that are popular across the world leading to a surge in counterfeiting.

The discoveries were made in the Scarborough and Whitby areas and are now the subject of ongoing investigations.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, whose responsibilities include trading standards, said:

“This operation sends a timely reminder to both those who bring these substandard toys into our county and to parents.

“We will not hesitate to take action when we discover operations like this, and parents should be aware of the potential risk they are presenting to their children if they buy from unscrupulous retailers.

“We want families to enjoy a safe and happy Christmas, so it’s important to check that toys meet safety standards and are purchased from reputable sellers."

At this time of year there is huge competition for the public’s money and some people might be tempted by items that are being offered at much cheaper prices than normal or that are available online although are out of stock at major outlets.

The council’s head of trading standards, Jo Boutflower, said:

“Popular items, such as Labubu dolls or products featuring characters such as Stitch or Bluey, may be counterfeit and fake items will not have been through the rigorous safety testing required of genuine products.”

The Trading Standards team say that other issues to look out for before buying presents this Christmas include:

• Small parts on toys which could become detached and pose a choking or inhalation hazard.
• Cords or ties which could become wrapped around a child’s throat and cause a risk of strangulation.
• Plastic toys and toy jewellery which may contain heavy metals and other chemicals.
• Larger toys with moving parts which could include entrapment hazards.

Candles are also popular at this time of year but should be kept away from youngsters.

Ms Boutflower said:

“People need to be aware that fancy dress outfits and clothing which have passed testing for flammability will still burn, they just burn at a slower rate allowing more time for action to be taken.”

The Council says that when shopping on the high street, people should think carefully before using ‘pop up’ shops as they are unlikely to be there again if you need to return a faulty product. 

Ms Boutflower said:

“When online, be cautious about marketplaces and auction sites. You should check that you know who you are dealing with and look out for sellers who say they are in the UK but may not be. 

“Some overseas sellers are using artificial intelligence to create the impression they have a UK high street presence and will use a British name like ‘Smith & Jones’ as their brand.” 

People can use online maps to check whether retailers are at the location they claim and use the Government’s Companies House checker if they claim to be a limited company. 

If you are paying over £100 on a credit card, then the credit provider is jointly liable if issues do arise, and banks operate chargeback schemes which give a level of protection. 

If buying on marketplaces and auction sites, consumers should follow payment guidance. 

Ms Boutflower added:

“If you choose to use cash rather than their payment provider the protection scheme won’t apply. Do not pay anyone by bank transfer unless you know them and have seen the goods. 

“Your bank now has to repay you in circumstances where you have been defrauded, but this means they have put in a series of checks about the reason for the transfer and who you are paying. 

“If you lie in your response to any of these checks the bank will deem your claim to be negligent and refuse to pay any money for recompense.”     

People can check whether toys and electrical items have been subject to a safety recall by visiting https://www.gov.uk/product-recalls-and-alerts. New electrical items should be registered at https://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/registration/ so people receive safety recall notifications in the future.

Information about trading standards in North Yorkshire can be found by visiting https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/trading-standards