Fake Squishy Toys Seized In Hull Over Health Risk

Hull City Council has seized over 1,000 counterfeit "Squeezy Dumplings" squishy toys from shops across the city after the carcinogen benzene was discovered in a number of the products.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the intellectual property and product safety risks that counterfeit goods pose - not just to consumers, but also to the brand owners whose products are being copied.

Counterfeiting

The seized toys appear to be counterfeits: knock-offs of a legitimate product, sold in packaging that does not list a UK or EU importer. Councilor Ted Dolman urged parents to check for this as a telltale sign that a product might not be genuine. However, he also cautioned that some unsafe or non-compliant toys could still display this information.

Benzene is a carcinogen and can also cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose and throat, Hull City Council said. The government's Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a national recall for the toys.

For brand owners, the impact is not only commercial but reputational. Counterfeit products, especially unsafe ones, can have a damning effect if consumers are unable to distinguish real from fake. Affirmative action is therefore essential.

Taking legal action against counterfeiters through cease and desist letters and litigation where necessary can put significant pressure on them to stop their activities. It can also result in a payment of damages/profits, legal costs and undertakings or an injunction from the court. As well as this, working with Border Force can help to ensure that counterfeit goods are intercepted as soon as they reach the UK, stopping them from making their way on to the market. The key is to act fast and stop the goods getting into wider circulation.

What should brand owners and retailers do?

For brand owners, the lesson is to be proactive:

• Monitor the market.
• Register trade marks and designs.
• Record rights with Border Force.
• Build relationships with Trading Standards.
• Take legal action against infringers through cease and desist letters, litigation or criminal referrals.

For retailers, the message is equally clear: know your supply chain. Selling unverified goods from unknown overseas manufacturers is a fast track to both a Trading Standards investigation and potential infringement claims.

The bigger picture

This is not an isolated incident. Hundreds of fake toys were seized by Trading Standards in Cleethorpes in June, and warnings about dangerous counterfeit Labubu dolls were issued last year. As the market for novelty toys like squishies continues to grow, so does the incentive for counterfeiters to flood the market with unsafe imitations.

If you are a brand owner concerned about counterfeit products or need advice on protecting and enforcing your IP rights, please do get in touch.

"If they just say that they've been made in another country and don't say that they've got a supplier or importer in the UK or in the EU, they're most likely not the genuine ones."

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