As the mother of an 8 year old, I am acutely aware of what a Labubu is. I have stood in line from 7am in the morning, for 3 hours until the 10am distribution of Labubu dolls at Pop Mart at Pacific Fair. And we weren’t even the first in line!
I personally think the dolls are ugly and cannot see any appeal to them whatsoever.
But, what is fascinating to me is that these dolls can be bought everywhere. My older daughter’s friend got a “real Labubu from the tobacconist in James Street”. (So real, evidently, that when she held it upside down by the foot, the rest of the body dropped off!) So, I knew there was an issue, but it really hit home when I saw them at every second stand at the Gold Coast Show. Pop Mart is the exclusive distributor of authentic Labubu dolls. Every Labubu on sale at a location other than Pop Mart is counterfeit.
When I queried the people manning the stalls at the Gold Coast Show, they admitted the Labubu dolls were not real, and called them “replicas”. Replica is a euphemism for counterfeit. Counterfeit goods are illegal. The sale of counterfeit goods is a criminal offence. So, when did we become so complacent about this crime? Why were there so many stalls at the Gold Coast Show that had no qualms about committing this crime in public view, seemingly without any fear of reprisal?
If the Labubu dolls at the Gold Coast Show and other shops around the Gold Coast are counterfeit, what other goods sold in these places might be counterfeit? My daughter wanted some lollies at a stall. While I know the lollies are not good for her, I also know they won’t kill her on the spot. The lollies she wanted were of a reputable brand. The ingredients they use are tested and approved as safe. But, what if those lollies were counterfeit lollies? What if they were not actually made by the company listed on the packaging, but someone else? What if they were made by a criminal who doesn’t care about counterfeiting, and so may also not care about the ingredients that are thrown in? Drugs sold on the black market are usually not pure. What about everyday items sold on the counterfeit market? Can they be trusted?
Brands mean something. They have value in that they let us know that a product can be trusted. If we stop caring about brands, and allow counterfeit goods, we lose the ability to trust, and we all become less secure in our purchasing decisions and less safe.
Australians love to venture to Bali to buy counterfeit goods. So, we do have a history of not respecting the true value and genuine importance of legitimate brands. But, to date, Australia has held itself to a high standard within our borders at least, not tolerating the sale of counterfeit goods here. But, as with everything, it is a slippery slope. The acceptance of dupe culture is leading into an acceptance of ‘replicas’, which are nothing more than blatant counterfeit goods. This needs to stop otherwise it is just a matter of further degeneration from here.
Counterfeit Labubu dolls at the Gold Coast Show