York parents warned over fake and unsafe Christmas toys

More than 24-tonnes of counterfeit toys– worth £3.5 million – were intercepted by the UK Border Force in 2025 – three quarters of which failed “critical” safety standards.

In response, City of York Council have urged shoppers to check their toys for the UKCA or CE marks – proof that toys are safe.

The council’s head of public protection, Matt Boxall, said: “This is a declaration by the manufacturer that they have designed the toy in accordance with safety requirements.

“It will include things like marking when the toy is not suitable for children under three which is particularly important when toys contain small parts or cords which could cause a choking hazard, have sharp edges, or batteries which must be secured amongst many other things.

“The toy will also be labelled with a name and address of who to contact if there is a problem.”

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It comes as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a campaign to tackle the influx of unsafe toys.

The Fake Toys, Real Harms campaign aims to warn parents before it’s too late.

Speaking about this, the IPO’S deputy director of enforcement, Helen Barnham, said: “Behind the packaging can be hidden choking hazards, toxic chemicals and faulty parts that put children in real danger.

“These products have bypassed every safety check the law requires, which is why we’re working with our partners to keep these dangerous fakes out of UK homes.

“Child safety must come first, so we’re urging parents – please don’t let your child be the tester.”

One of the starkest examples of intercepted fake toys this year comes from counterfeit Labubu dolls.

More than 200,000 dolls have been seized since the start of 2025, with experts valuating the haul at nearly £3.3 million.

The following advice has been issued to shoppers to avoid buying counterfeits:

•   Stick to trusted retailers or official brand websites
•   Be cautious about third-party sellers on marketplaces
• Check reviews carefully. Look beyond the five-star ones and read the negatives
• Be wary of prices that look “too good to be true” – counterfeits are often much cheaper
• Make sure that the toy has not been recalled by searching for the brand and product name

When the toy arrives:

Parents and shoppers should look for a UKCA or CE certification mark and inspect it for loose parts or unsecured batteries.

If you spot a counterfeit toy, please report it to Trading Standards, leave a review to warn other parents, and report the seller on the platform you purchased it from.

You can review your toy on the Office for Product Safety and Standards website, to check for product recalls, by visiting www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls.