Customer Scuffles Bring Temporary Removal of Labubu Toys in the UK

Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-born artist, collaborated with toy company Pop Mart to create toys based on his designed elf, Labubu. Following endorsements by celebrities, a craze ensued, leading to violent scrambles at Pop Mart's UK stores. As a precaution, Pop Mart announced the temporary removal of the toys, prompting consumer protests.

According to a 'BBC' report, after pop icons Rihanna and Dua Lipa showcased their Labubu toys, crowds began flooding UK Pop Mart stores to purchase them. Buyer Calvert revealed an outrageous situation encountered at the Stratford London store.

Calvert mentioned that there were consumers queueing from 3 AM, and the store was crowded even before opening, with fights and screaming occurring on the scene, instilling fear. Calvert noted that some at the front of the line were obviously scalpers who, upon getting tickets to purchase Labubu, resold them for £150 (approximately MYR860).

It is known that Labubu toys in the UK are priced between £13.5 and £50 (approximately MYR77 to MYR286), with some rare styles selling for hundreds of pounds on resale platforms like Vinted and eBay.

Pop Mart stated that its 16 UK stores will temporarily take Labubu off shelves until June to prevent any safety issues. The company is also developing a fairer sales method. However, criticisms of Pop Mart quickly appeared on social media, accusing the company of causing this situation through hunger marketing.