00:00Who doesn't love a little game of spot the difference? Well, the game can have very high
00:05stakes when it comes to counterfeit toys and the unseen dangers that they can pose to children.
00:10Now, this one here is quite obviously not a fake labubu, though it is sporting a very
00:17pleasant scarf. But how can you spot the difference between a real and a fake toy?
00:23What are the dangers? I spoke to the experts to find out.
00:27Counterfeit toys have always been a problem, but what we've seen recently is criminals really
00:34getting on the back of trends. Things like labubu dolls, counterfeit labubu dolls, have massively
00:41increased. Now, obviously, the numbers sound alarming, but I mean, what kind of dangers are
00:45we talking about when it comes to these sorts of counterfeit goods that are crossing the border?
00:50Well, if we look at labubu dolls specifically, because they're kind of the product at the moment,
00:55we've actually had some of those tested. And we found that some of the chemicals that are used in
01:01the plastics to make them flexible, they're called phthalates. And actually, when the proportions are
01:09wrong within the plastic, they can actually leach out and they can cause cancers. And they can also
01:15cause developmental issues for children. And so what we're seeing actually is arms and legs coming off
01:21these toys, eyes popping out. And that in itself becomes a choking hazard, especially for young
01:28children. When people are handing over money for these toys, that money is not going into your local
01:33economy. It's not supporting a local business. It's not going back to the government in tax. It's going
01:38straight into the hands of criminals, which obviously is pretty concerning and is another really big risk for us.
01:44And what can parents especially do to look out for those counterfeits and spot the real difference?
01:49The fake versions are a couple of pounds upwards. So that would be ringing alarm bells.
01:54You need to look at the seller as well. You know, do you recognise the seller?
01:59Is it a store or seller that comes with reviews or a history of supplying legitimate goods?
02:07Then listings, especially obviously this applies to kind of online. We often find that listings for
02:12counterfeit goods and obviously counterfeit toys are often quite poor. The image quality
02:17isn't particularly good. They'll have spelling mistakes on there. So again, you know, use your nose.
02:24If it doesn't seem right, then it probably isn't. Legitimate products will have safety markings on them.
02:30And that is CE or UK CA. That basically says whether it's passed kind of safety certification.
02:38And then when you get into the product itself, check for any chemical smells. Are bits coming off?
02:44Does it seem flimsy? Are there loose batteries, et cetera? So really, all of those things together
02:49really should give you a good indication as to whether you've bought counterfeit.
02:52But really, my kind of overriding message to parents is, you know, if it comes, if your general
03:01sense that something is wrong and this doesn't seem to be a legitimate product, then, you know,
03:06you're probably right. So use your parents' nose.
03:08What kind of message would you really like them to take away as the final thing,
03:12the thing that you really, really want them to know?
03:14If you buy your child a counterfeit toy, essentially they are becoming the tester.
03:20And you are putting their health and safety at risk.
03:23So if you've bought one, dispose of it and report it to your local trading standards.
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