Labubu vs. Lafufu: Pop Mart’s Battle for IP Protection and the Tech Behind Authenticity Verification

By: Anneliese McInnis

Labubus, the grinning, wide-eyed plush dolls, have grown exponentially in popularity among young Americans, capturing their hearts and wallets. The collectible doll generally retails for $20 to $30, but rarer figures sell for thousands; the most expensive Labubu sold for $150,000 at an auction in Beijing.[1] Pop Mart has capitalized on their popularity by introducing the viral “blind-box” model that fuels suspense in customers eager to find out which Labubu doll they will unwrap.[2] This unique model, however, has made the company susceptible to counterfeit products on the market copying the plush dolls’ distinct features.[3]

In July of this year, Pop Mart filed suit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against several 7-Eleven operators, accusing them of violating federal trademark, copyright, and unfair competition laws.[4] In September, Pop Mart filed an amended complaint adding contributory and vicarious liability as separate actions.[5] Pop Mart buttresses its IP portfolio by touting the soaring customer demand for the doll and the global reach of its business.[6] Pop Mart points to evidence that the counterfeit Labubu dolls are causing actual consumer confusion by luring unsuspecting buyers to purchase fake “blind-boxes” believing them to be the real deal.[7] Because these boxes are designed to prevent the buyer from seeing which doll is inside before purchasing, consumers are excited to find out which Labubu model they will receive from the mystery box, but end up unwrapping a Lafufu. Adding fuel to the fire, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued an urgent warning to buyers that the fake Labubu dolls, well-known as “Lafufu,” pose a serious risk of choking and even death to young children due to their small size and tendency to break apart, releasing tiny pieces that become choking hazards.[8] The CPSC acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman warned against buying the fake doll, explaining that they are “dangerous, illegal, and have no place in American homes.”[9] This new development poses a threat to Pop Mart’s brand reputation and has only pressured the company to find ways to differentiate their product from the copies.

So what is Pop Mart doing to demonstrate to consumers that their product is authentic merchandise? Pop Mart is amping up security measures and urging customers to check the box. Displayed on the outside of an authentic Labubu box and on the figure’s tag is a QR code.[10] Pop Mart is telling its customers to use the QR code technology to verify the figures’ authenticity.[11] By scanning an authentic code, customers will be led to the Pop Mart website.[12] However, it is important to not only scan the QR code on the box, but also the code printed on the figures’ wash label, as counterfeit dolls can be shoved inside authenticated boxes.[13]

Despite Pop Mart advancing its security technology, some newer Lafufu retailers have copied the QR code technology, making it appear to customers that the doll is authentic, but when the code is scanned, the buyer is led to suspicious websites or web pages with URL errors.[14] Although QR code technology can offer a reliable tool to check for authenticity, counterfeit retailers are getting smarter, challenging authentic brands’ ability to protect their products from being copied and sold to unsuspecting customers. While Pop Mart awaits the results from its complaint, the issue raises new questions about how brands can advance security technology for authenticity verification.

Link to image source:

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/18/g-s1-72939/what-is-labubu-pop-mart-explained

[1] Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, This Labubu Just Sold For $10,585: Here’s Why They Might Be Good Investments, Forbes (Jul. 24, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/07/24/this-labubu-just-sold-for-10585-heres-why-they-might-be-good-investments/; see also Anisa Nandy, 7 Most Expensive Labubus in the World, Primetimer (Jul. 9, 2025), https://www.primetimer.com/features/7-most-expensive-labubu-figures.

[2] Mel DeCandia, The High Price of Counterfeits: What the Labubu Case Means for IP Enforcement, Greenspoon Marder LLP (2025), https://www.gmlaw.com/news/the-high-price-of-counterfeits-what-the-labubu-case-means-for-ip-enforcement/.

[3] Id.

[4] Pop Mart Americas Inc. et al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc. et al., 2:25-cv-06555 (C.D. Cal.); see also Pop Mart vs. 7-Eleven: Amended Complaint Puts Franchises in the Crosshairs, The Fashion Law (Oct. 1, 2025), https://www.thefashionlaw.com/pop-mart-raises-the-stakes-in-counterfeit-labubu-case-against-7-eleven/.

[5] Id.

[6] Id.

[7] See DeCandia, supra note 2.

[8] U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumer Safety Alert: CPSC Issues Urgent Safety Warning to Labubu Collectors (Aug. 18, 2025).

[9] Id.

[10] Kelsey Legg, How to Spot a Fake Labubu: Pop Mart’s Advice for Getting the Real Deal, ABC News (Aug. 12, 2025), https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/how-to-spot-fake-labubu/story?id=124575764.

[11] Id.

[12] Id.

[13] Id.

[14] Kevin Chai, How to Check Labubu Authenticity QR Code?, Feltify Blog (Jul. 2, 2025), https://www.feltify.com/blogs/all-about-labubu/how-to-check-labubu-authenticity-qr-code#:~:text=%F0%9F%8F%B7%EF%B8%8F%20Where%20to%20Find%20the,clearly%20affiliated%20Pop%20Mart%20domain.