Boy, four, taken to hospital after fake squishy toy explodes in his face

A mum says she feels "guilty" for buying a fake squishy toy that exploded in her son's face, resulting in him needing hospital treatment.

Jodanna Bevan bought the toys from Shein for her children after seeing them discounted.

Hudson, four, was squeezing his when it "popped and exploded all over his face", with Jodanna describing the filling as a "thick white substance" with a sandy texture.

While his bloodshot eyes "seemed OK" after washing them, Jodanna said by the next morning they were extremely swollen and he was unable to open them, so she took Hudson to hospital.

Shein said it took the claims seriously and the product was no longer available on its platform.

Hudson needed water flushed through each eye to correct their pH balance, and Jodanna, from Bridgend, said it was "horrendous as a parent to watch him go through that".

She said Hudson's vision was damaged but he was given eye drops to fix it.

Hudson, like children across the UK, was drawn to the toys after they became a sensation on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

They often resemble dumplings, but children "can't see what's inside the box so they're excited to see which one they get".

The popularity of the item has led to duplicate and counterfeit squishy toys being sold online and in shops and stalls.

The UK government said more than 260,000 counterfeit toys were intercepted by UK Border Force in the last year alone.

It was only when Jodanna searched online that she found out that counterfeit squishy toys can contain chemicals such as phthalates and benzenes.

The UK government regulates phthalates as hazardous chemical substances but they are used in cosmetics, fragrances and food packaging.

Jodanna said it was "bizarre" that there were no regulations or checks for toys being imported after being purchased on websites such as Shein.

"It just doesn't make sense," she said adding that she would "definitely not" buy toys from Shein or other online retailers again.

"You just feel so guilty as a parent for buying it. Don't buy cheap," she said.

Vicki Worrall, from Cardiff, has a seven-year-old neurodivergent son who likes to play with sensory toys.

She likes to buy Xander squishy or fidget toys that are often aimed at children who have anxiety as they can act as "a distraction or a release".

"It helps them to be able to focus more on the activity that they're doing because it sort of reduces the fidgeting," she added.

The 47-year-old said she had seen a lot of versions online recently advertised on Amazon and Temu, but "won't buy them from those websites".

Vicki said she had yet to come across a counterfeit squishy toy, but has seen warnings from parents about a "very strong petrol smell" coming from them.

She said it was best to buy toys from a reputable store and look for the CE safety mark, "so you know it's a safe toy for your child to use".

The rise of counterfeit toys has meant that, even if it is sold as a reputable brand, parents should still check the product before giving it a child, added Vicki.

Shein said: "Our product safety and compliance teams have reviewed this case, and the product involved is no longer available on our platform.

"Our customer service team has also reached out to the family concerned and we wish them a speedy recovery.

"All sellers are required to comply with Shein's code of conduct, our product safety standards, and the applicable laws and regulations of the markets where we operate.

"Earlier this year, well before we became aware of this incident, Shein took the precautionary decision to enhance our controls relating to the sale of squishy dumpling products on our platform.

"We continue to advocate for greater cross-platform information sharing on problematic listings and sellers."

The Department of Business and Trade advises people to buy toys from reputable retailers and make sure they are clearly marked with age restrictions.

Consumers can also check if a toy has been recalled.

The Intellectual Property Office advised people to look for UKCA or CE safety mark and UK contact addresses on toy packaging once it arrives

The UK government said: "Children's safety is our top priority and any toy sold in the UK must meet our strict laws.

"People should contact their local Trading Standards with any safety concerns."