Labubu UK Buying Guide 2026: How to Spot Real, Where to Buy and What to Collect

Labubu has gone from cult Pop Mart figure to one of the most counterfeited toys in UK eBay history in eighteen months flat. If you're chasing your first one, or your tenth, or buying for a niece who's already eight in deep, this guide saves you both time and the £30 you'd otherwise spend on a fake.

Here's everything we know about buying genuine Labubu in the UK in 2026, written by people who restock the actual range every week.

What is Labubu (and why is everyone losing it)

Labubu is the Pop Mart character designed by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, originally introduced in 2015 as part of his picture book series The Monsters. The character is a small toothy creature with rabbit ears, big round eyes and an impish grin. Sounds simple. Then in late 2024 the Labubu blind boxes hit TikTok, the Lisa from Blackpink endorsement landed, and the global designer toy market changed.

By mid-2025 the standard £15 Labubu blind box was reselling on eBay for £40-80. The rare secret chase figures hit £200-400. The Coca-Cola collab Labubu hit £600. The original art-toy collector community got squeezed out by mainstream gifting demand, and Pop Mart UK started rationing stock to retailers.

Demand is still growing. Supply is still constrained. That's why fakes are everywhere.

The seven Labubu series you need to know

Pop Mart releases Labubu across themed series, plus crossover collaborations. The active and recent UK-released series are:

The Monsters Series 1, 2, 3 — Kasing Lung's headline lines featuring Labubu, Tycoco, Spooky, Zimomo and Mokoko. Standard 9-design blind boxes plus 1 secret chase figure per series.

Have a Seat / Pendant Series — small pose-able Labubu figures with magnetic bases. The most-collected of the keychain formats.

The Monsters Macaron Series — pastel colourways, the most popular gift series for casual collectors.

Big into Energy Series — Labubu in workout gear. Released 2025, sold out within a week.

Hello Kitty x Labubu — collab with Sanrio. Both characters in matching outfits. Already a chase set.

Coca-Cola x Labubu — limited drop, the highest-priced Labubu on the secondary market.

Halloween / Seasonal Drops — limited annual releases. The 2024 Halloween Labubu hit £400 within months.

There's a Wikipedia-length list of every Labubu colourway across collabs, but those seven series cover 95% of what UK collectors are actually after.

How to spot a fake Labubu (the bit that saves you £30)

Fake Labubu are everywhere on eBay, Vinted, Facebook Marketplace and dodgy Instagram accounts. The manufacturer-stamped real one and a quality fake can be hard to tell apart in photos. In hand, there are 7 dead giveaways:

1. The Pop Mart QR code on the box. Every genuine Labubu blind box has a QR code that, when scanned, pulls up the official Pop Mart product page on pop-mart.com. Fakes either skip the code, use a fake URL, or link to a generic page that looks 80% right.

2. The teeth count. Real Labubu has nine teeth. Always nine. Most fakes have eight, ten, or eleven.

3. The eye placement and gloss. Genuine eyes sit slightly recessed, with a high-gloss varnish that catches the light unevenly. Fakes have flatter eyes, often with a mat finish or a too-perfect glossy coat.

4. The face shape. Real Labubu has a slightly oval face. Fakes often look rounder or more angular. Comparison photos against the official Pop Mart product image reveal it instantly.

5. The packaging quality. Genuine Pop Mart boxes use a textured cardstock with a specific matte-and-gloss finish on the artwork. Fake boxes feel slightly flimsy, the print is duller, and the box internals (the plastic blister tray) often don't match the genuine cut.

6. The figure stamp. Genuine Labubu have a small "Pop Mart" or copyright stamp on the back of the foot or under the base. Fakes either skip the stamp or use the wrong typeface.

7. The seam line. Real Labubu have a clean, almost invisible seam down the back. Fakes show a visible glue line or rough plastic.

If three or more of these don't check out, walk away.

Where to buy genuine Labubu in the UK

Three legitimate routes:

Pop Mart UK direct — pop-mart.com/uk and the London flagship store at Selfridges. The most direct route but stock is rationed and queues are real.

Authorised UK retailers — Infinity Collectables, plus a small number of UK collectible specialists. Authorised means we get our stock direct from Pop Mart's UK distribution. Look for the official "Pop Mart authorised retailer" badge or check that retailer's About page.

Don't buy from unverified eBay/Vinted sellers, generic gift shops claiming to have Labubu, AliExpress, Wish, Temu, Instagram pop-up shops with no UK address, or Facebook Marketplace strangers. The fake rate from these channels exceeds 60%.

Pricing guide: what's a fair price in 2026

If a seller's asking 5x retail for a non-rare Labubu, walk away. If they're asking RRP for a known chase figure, it's probably fake.

The 2026 collector tier list

For serious UK collectors, these are the Labubu worth chasing for value retention plus visual appeal:

• Tier S (will appreciate): Original 2017-2018 The Monsters Series 1 chase figures, Coca-Cola collab, Halloween 2023-2024 limited.
• Tier A (steady value): Hello Kitty crossover, Big Into Energy, Macaron Series secret chases.
• Tier B (gifting tier): Standard Macaron, Have a Seat pendants, Series 3 standard.
• Tier C (saturating): Mass-market 2025 colour variants, generic blind box repeats.

Buy Tier S sealed if you can stomach the price. Buy Tier B if you actually want to display them. Avoid Tier C unless you love a specific design.

How to get on Labubu restock alerts

Pop Mart releases drop on irregular schedules. The fastest UK ways to know first:

1. Sign up to Pop Mart UK's email list directly at pop-mart.com/uk
2. Sign up to Infinity Collectables' restock alerts on the Labubu collection page
3. Follow @popmart_uk and @kasinglung on Instagram for drop announcements
4. Watch the Pop Mart x Labubu UK Discord server for drop leaks

Frequently asked Labubu questions

Are Labubu just a fad? Possibly. The character is six years old at this point and the brand has survived multiple "is the trend over" cycles. Even if mainstream demand cools, the original art-toy collector community is steady. Don't buy as investment. Buy because you like them.

Are Labubu safe for kids? Most are rated 14 plus by Pop Mart due to small parts. Some larger figures and pendants are rated younger. Always check the box age rating before gifting to a child.

What's the difference between Labubu and the rest of The Monsters? Labubu is one character in The Monsters cast. Tycoco (the small skeleton boy), Spooky, Mokoko and Zimomo are the others. Labubu is the most popular by a country mile, but completing the full Monsters set is the holy-grail collector goal.

Will Pop Mart keep making Labubu? Yes, indefinitely. The character is the company's biggest IP and there's no sign of new series slowing.

Should I open my Labubu blind box or keep it sealed? Depends on goal. Sealed Labubu blind boxes from older retired series hold and grow value. Modern blind boxes from current series are roughly the same value sealed or opened, so you may as well open and display.

Genuine Labubu, properly stocked, fast UK dispatch — shop the full Labubu collection at Infinity Collectables.

Want to broaden the collection? Pop Mart UK, Sonny Angel UK and Smiski UK are the closest sister lines.