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You’ve probably seen them dangling off designer bags, stacked on office shelves, or popping up on your social media feed, a wide-eyed, sharp-toothed little creature that looks like
You’ve probably seen them dangling off designer bags, stacked on office shelves, or popping up on your social media feed, a wide-eyed, sharp-toothed little creature that looks like it escaped from a Nordic fairy tale. That’s Labubu, and if you’re trying to work out what the fuss is about, you’re far from alone.
Labubu is a collectible toy designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Chinese toy company Pop Mart. It went from a niche designer figure to a genuine cultural phenomenon after a string of A-list celebrities were spotted wearing them as bag charms in 2024. In the UK, demand has been so intense that queues formed outside stores and in-store sales were briefly suspended.
This guide covers everything you need to know: the backstory, where to buy authentic Labubu in the UK right now, how much to pay, how to spot a counterfeit, and what the resale market actually looks like.
Labubu is a small collectible figure (or plush toy) belonging to a character universe called “The Monsters.” The central character, Labubu itself, has a distinctive look: oversized pointed ears, bulging eyes, scruffy fur, and a wide grin showing exactly nine sharp, serrated teeth. It looks deliberately “ugly-cute,” somewhere between a goblin and a woodland elf.
The figures come in several formats: vinyl plastic figurines, plush fabric dolls, key ring charms, and larger display pieces. Most are sold in Pop Mart’s blind box format, meaning you pay for a box without knowing which design variation you’ll receive until you open it.
Kasing Lung was born in Hong Kong in 1972. His family moved to the Netherlands when he was young, and it was there, reading Nordic fairy tales about elves and forest creatures, that the seeds of Labubu took root. Lung eventually became a self-taught illustrator and toy designer, creating “The Monsters” as a series of illustrated picture books launched in 2015. The characters, a group of mischievous elf-like creatures, were first sold as collectible figures through Hong Kong toy company How2Work.
In 2019, Lung signed an exclusive licensing deal with Pop Mart, a Beijing-based toy retailer that had already built a following through its mystery box format. The partnership took Labubu from a niche collectors’ item to a globally distributed product. Over 300 versions of Labubu have been released to date.
The turning point for mainstream popularity came in 2023 and 2024, when Pop Mart began selling Labubu figures as bag chain charms. When BLACKPINK member Lisa was photographed with a Labubu on her handbag, and then Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, and David Beckham all appeared with them, demand went through the roof. In 2024, Pop Mart’s revenue outside China grew by 375% year on year.
A Labubu feature film is also in the works. In March 2026, Pop Mart and Sony Pictures announced that director Paul King, best known for the Paddington films and Wonka, will direct a live-action and CGI hybrid adaptation of The Monsters universe. The project is still in early development, with no release date confirmed.
If you’re new to this format, it’s worth understanding how blind boxes work before you spend any money.
Pop Mart packages each Labubu design in an identical sealed box. You pay the retail price and only discover which design variation you’ve got once you open it. A typical series contains six to twelve different regular designs, plus one or more “secret” or “chase” variants that appear far less frequently. The odds of pulling a secret figure can be as low as 1 in 72 blind boxes.
This format is part of what drives the collector culture. Some people open box after box hoping to complete a full set or land a rare variant. Others buy sealed boxes on the secondary market once they know which variant is inside (though you pay a significant premium for that certainty).
Pop Mart also sells larger vinyl figures and plush dolls outside the blind box format. These show the design up front and are priced accordingly.
[Table: Labubu formats and typical UK retail price ranges]
| Format | Description | Approx. UK Retail Price |
| Vinyl Plush Pendant Blind Box | Bag charm size, mystery design | £16 to £26 |
| Vinyl Face Blind Box | Standard display figurine, mystery design | £17 to £27 |
| Mega/Large Plush Figure | Larger display piece, design visible | £68 to £90+ |
| Accessories (keyrings, pins) | Smaller format | £8 to £13 |
Prices reflect current Pop Mart UK listings. Always check popmart.com/gb for the latest figures, as prices vary by series.
Pop Mart operates several physical locations in the UK, concentrated in London. Confirmed locations as of mid-2026 include:
Pop Mart also operates Roboshop vending machines in various UK locations, including Croydon’s Centrale Shopping Centre. These dispense blind boxes but do not always carry the full plush range. Stock availability varies significantly across all locations, and Pop Mart previously suspended in-store plush Labubu sales at its UK stores in 2025 due to crowd surges and reports of disorder. When in-store availability is paused, the company moves to online-only sales, so check @PopMartGlobal on Instagram and pop mart’s website before making a trip.
From August 2025, The Entertainer began stocking Pop Mart products including Labubu at select UK locations, with prices starting from £13.50. A wider nationwide rollout to additional branches was planned. Check threentertainer.com for current stockist information.
The official website at popmart.com/gb is the most reliable place to buy Labubu UK without a store visit. New drops typically happen on Fridays. Stock on popular series sells out very quickly. Signing up to Pop Mart’s email alerts gives you advance notice of restocking.
For sold-out or older series, established UK-based secondary retailers such as Double Boxed (doubleboxed.co.uk) carry authenticated Labubu stock. On marketplaces, StockX and eBay are the most commonly used platforms for UK collectors, with StockX offering an authentication layer on purchases. On eBay, check seller feedback carefully and only buy from sellers with strong ratings and clear, high-resolution product photos.
Depop also has a solid Labubu community, though authentication is your own responsibility.
[Image: Pop Mart Oxford Street store frontage (royalty-free or press image)]
At retail through Pop Mart UK, a standard vinyl plush pendant blind box typically costs between £16 and £26, depending on the series. Larger standalone plush figures and Mega editions run from around £68 upward. Accessories like pins and keyrings start at around £8.
The picture changes significantly on the secondary market. Common regular variants from in-print series typically sell for one and a half to three times retail. Secret or chase variants from popular series can reach five to twenty times retail, depending on how rare the figure is and how much celebrity attention the series has received.
The most extreme prices come from limited editions and collaborations. A life-size Labubu (four feet tall) sold at a Beijing auction in 2025 for around £110,000. The Labubu x Vans collaboration figure sold on eBay for over £8,000. These are outliers, not representative of what most collectors spend.
For anyone thinking about Labubu as a financial investment: the advice from most experienced collectors is to buy what you like at retail price when possible, and treat any value increase as an unexpected benefit rather than the goal. The secondary market is speculative, trends shift, and what commands a premium today can cool quickly as new series drop.
Counterfeit Labubu dolls, mockingly nicknamed “Lafufu” by collectors, are a serious problem in the UK. UK Trading Standards services in multiple areas, including the Isle of Wight, Bromley, and Powys, have seized hundreds of counterfeit Labubu dolls from local businesses and market stalls. In September 2025, approximately 236,000 fake Labubu toys were among the 259,000 counterfeit items seized at UK borders that year. Fake dolls have been found to contain toxic plastics, use harmful dyes, and include small detachable parts that pose choking hazards for children.
Authentic Labubu figures have exactly nine sharp, triangular teeth. Counterfeits frequently get this wrong: they may have eight, ten, or unevenly spaced teeth. Check both the physical figure and any printed illustrations on the packaging.
Genuine Pop Mart Labubu boxes carry a holographic Pop Mart sticker and a scannable QR code linking to Pop Mart’s official verification site. Scan this before purchasing if you’re buying in person. On counterfeits, the QR code is often blurry, poorly printed, or redirects to an unofficial site.
On newer editions, authentic Labubu figures carry a laser-etched UV stamp on one foot. Shining a UV or blue light on the foot of a genuine figure will reveal this marking. Fakes do not have it.
Every authentic Labubu comes with a collector card (sometimes called a Pop Card) showing the character’s name, a serial number or QR code, and clear Pop Mart branding. Check the tag font: authentic tags use a specific, clean typeface. On fakes, the fonts are thinner, the red is a slightly different shade, and spelling mistakes sometimes appear.
Real Labubu plush toys have soft, high-quality vinyl faces with smooth, even paint and no visible excess glue. The fur is fluffy enough to cover all stitching. Counterfeits typically feel cheaper, have exposed or uneven stitching, rough texture around the face, and may emit a chemical smell.
By law, toys sold in the UK must carry a UKCA mark (for products placed on the market after January 2025) or a CE mark, along with the name and UK address of the importer. If a Labubu you’re considering has no importer details or carries fake or missing safety marks, it almost certainly is not genuine.
If the price is significantly below the standard Pop Mart retail, treat it with caution. Lafufus are typically sold cheaply to make them look like bargains. If it’s too good to be true, that’s usually accurate.
To report counterfeit toys, contact your local Trading Standards service or call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.
Part of what keeps the market active is Pop Mart’s ongoing output of new series and brand collaborations. Some of the most prominent include:
Pop Mart typically announces new drops through its Instagram account and the Pop Mart app. Weekly new product releases happen on Fridays in most UK locations.
London currently has the densest concentration of Pop Mart physical stores in the UK. The Manchester flagship at 130 Market Street brings a full retail experience to the North West. The Entertainer’s stockist rollout means some Labubu series are increasingly accessible in town centres outside major cities.
Outside physical retail, popmart.com/gb ships across the UK, so buyers in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and anywhere without a nearby store can order directly. Delivery times and stock availability are the same across the UK when shopping online.
If you’re in Northern Ireland, note that post-Brexit customs arrangements do not apply to purchases from Pop Mart UK’s British website, as it ships from within the UK.
Q: What is Labubu?
Labubu is a collectible toy character created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Pop Mart. It features oversized ears, bulging eyes, and nine sharp teeth, and is sold mainly in sealed blind boxes where you don’t know which design you’re getting until you open it.
Q: Where can I buy authentic Labubu in the UK?
The safest option is Pop Mart’s official website at popmart.com/gb. Pop Mart also has physical stores in London (Oxford Street, Soho, Westfield Stratford, Westfield London, Camden) and Manchester. Selfridges London carries stock via a Roboshop vending machine. The Entertainer stocks selected series in certain branches. On the secondary market, StockX and trusted eBay sellers are the most commonly used options.
Q: How much does Labubu cost in the UK?
Standard blind box charms retail between £16 and £26 on Pop Mart UK. Larger plush figures and Mega editions run from £68 and upward. On the secondary market, regular variants typically sell for one and a half to three times retail, while secret variants can reach five to twenty times retail depending on rarity.
Q: How do I know if my Labubu is real?
Check for exactly nine teeth on the figure, a holographic Pop Mart sticker, a scannable QR code on the box linking to Pop Mart’s site, and a collector card with clear branding. Under UV light, a genuine newer edition will show a laser-etched stamp on the foot. The packaging should carry a UKCA or CE mark and a UK importer’s address. If any of these are missing or look off, the figure is likely a counterfeit.
Q: What is a Lafufu?
Lafufu is the name collectors use for fake Labubu dolls. These counterfeits are manufactured cheaply, often use harmful materials, and frequently get key details wrong, such as the number of teeth or the quality of packaging. UK Trading Standards services have seized tens of thousands of these from UK retailers and market stalls.
Q: Are Labubu a good investment?
Some rare and limited editions have appreciated significantly in value: one life-size Labubu sold at auction for around £110,000, and some collaboration figures have sold for thousands of pounds on eBay. However, the market is driven by trends and sentiment. Most experienced collectors say you should buy what you enjoy at retail price where possible, and treat any value increase as a bonus rather than a guarantee.
Q: Is there a Labubu movie?
Yes. In March 2026, Pop Mart and Sony Pictures announced a live-action and CGI Labubu feature film. It will be directed and co-written by Paul King, the director behind the Paddington films and Wonka, with screenwriter Steven Levenson co-writing. The project is still described as being in early development, with no release date confirmed.
Q: Why are Labubu so hard to get?
Pop Mart releases new series in limited runs, and stock at both online and physical stores sells out very quickly on drop days. Demand surged dramatically in 2024 and 2025 following celebrity endorsements, with in-store sales at UK Pop Mart locations temporarily suspended in 2025 due to crowds. Online drops via popmart.com/gb remain the most accessible route when in-store stock is unavailable.
