Labubu Dolls Were Flying Off the Shelves as AliExpress Sparks UK Singles’ Day Craze

A wave of excitement swept through London on Tuesday as Labubu dolls were flying off the shelves during a high-energy shopping livestream hosted by AliExpress, part of Alibaba’s global push to expand Singles’ Day into Western markets. The Chinese e-commerce giant is capitalising on the worldwide obsession with collectible Pop Mart toys, a trend that has exploded far beyond Asia and is now reshaping consumer behaviour in the UK. The spotlight was on Pop Mart’s wildly popular figurines, including Labubu, Crybaby and SkullPanda, all sold in sealed “blind boxes” that hide the character inside. This mystery-box format has propelled Pop Mart to global fame and driven significant revenue growth for the Beijing-based company. Borrowing from the Disney model, Pop Mart is building long-term value through storytelling, character branding and powerful fan communities. To supercharge its UK Singles’ Day campaign, AliExpress enlisted 23-year-old British TikTok star Anna Williams — who boasts 1.3 million followers — to co-host a series of four two-hour daily livestreams alongside fellow influencer Mary He. AliExpress expects the pair to help sell at least 10,000 toys through the AliExpress app by Friday as viewers watch, comment, and buy in real time. Pop Mart Sales Skyrocket in the UK According to Bonnie Zhao, general manager at AliExpress UK, sales from the official Pop Mart store surged an astonishing 1,500% year-on-year in October, demonstrating how quickly the toy craze is spreading in Britain. Collectible toy sales on the platform also jumped 300% in just the first six months of the year, confirming that UK consumers are embracing the trend wholeheartedly. During the London livestreams, Williams and He sat in front of a colourful display of Pop Mart figurines, opening blind boxes for viewers and showcasing popular items. These included the Labubu “Why So Serious” clown variant and a blueberry-scented Hacipupu gummy bear series, priced between £11 and £74 ($15–$99). Beyond simple toys, many fans now use the figurines as fashion items, attaching them to bags or displaying them as collectable accessories. A bustling resale market has also emerged, with rare characters fetching high prices online. Livestream Shopping’s Influence Spreads West While livestream shopping exploded first in China, the trend has rapidly spread across Europe and North America. Major Western brands like IKEA and Zara have experimented with livestream formats, hoping to blend entertainment with instant purchasing opportunities. With charismatic hosts, limited-time offers and interactive product reveals, livestreams are becoming a powerful new retail tool. Carmen Muley, once the host for some of AliExpress’s earliest Spanish-language livestreams in 2016 and now an advisor to global brands, said the format is still in its early stages in Europe. However, she noted that the rollout of TikTok Shop across Spain, Ireland, Italy, Germany and France has driven a notable rise in livestream activity among retailers. “It’s growing fast, and more brands are beginning to recognise the power of real-time engagement,” she said. As Singles’ Day continues to evolve from a China-focused shopping event into a global retail phenomenon, AliExpress is positioning itself at the centre of the movement — and Pop Mart’s Labubu trend is proving to be the perfect catalyst.A wave of excitement swept through London on Tuesday as Labubu dolls were flying off the shelves during a high-energy shopping livestream hosted by AliExpress, part of Alibaba’s global push to expand Singles’ Day into Western markets. The Chinese e-commerce giant is capitalising on the worldwide obsession with collectible Pop Mart toys, a trend that has exploded far beyond Asia and is now reshaping consumer behaviour in the UK. The spotlight was on Pop Mart’s wildly popular figurines, including Labubu, Crybaby and SkullPanda, all sold in sealed “blind boxes” that hide the character inside. This mystery-box format has propelled Pop Mart to global fame and driven significant revenue growth for the Beijing-based company. Borrowing from the Disney model, Pop Mart is building long-term value through storytelling, character branding and powerful fan communities. To supercharge its UK Singles’ Day campaign, AliExpress enlisted 23-year-old British TikTok star Anna Williams — who boasts 1.3 million followers — to co-host a series of four two-hour daily livestreams alongside fellow influencer Mary He. AliExpress expects the pair to help sell at least 10,000 toys through the AliExpress app by Friday as viewers watch, comment, and buy in real time. Pop Mart Sales Skyrocket in the UK According to Bonnie Zhao, general manager at AliExpress UK, sales from the official Pop Mart store surged an astonishing 1,500% year-on-year in October, demonstrating how quickly the toy craze is spreading in Britain. Collectible toy sales on the platform also jumped 300% in just the first six months of the year, confirming that UK consumers are embracing the trend wholeheartedly. During the London livestreams, Williams and He sat in front of a colourful display of Pop Mart figurines, opening blind boxes for viewers and showcasing popular items. These included the Labubu “Why So Serious” clown variant and a blueberry-scented Hacipupu gummy bear series, priced between £11 and £74 ($15–$99). Beyond simple toys, many fans now use the figurines as fashion items, attaching them to bags or displaying them as collectable accessories. A bustling resale market has also emerged, with rare characters fetching high prices online. Livestream Shopping’s Influence Spreads West While livestream shopping exploded first in China, the trend has rapidly spread across Europe and North America. Major Western brands like IKEA and Zara have experimented with livestream formats, hoping to blend entertainment with instant purchasing opportunities. With charismatic hosts, limited-time offers and interactive product reveals, livestreams are becoming a powerful new retail tool. Carmen Muley, once the host for some of AliExpress’s earliest Spanish-language livestreams in 2016 and now an advisor to global brands, said the format is still in its early stages in Europe. However, she noted that the rollout of TikTok Shop across Spain, Ireland, Italy, Germany and France has driven a notable rise in livestream activity among retailers. “It’s growing fast, and more brands are beginning to recognise the power of real-time engagement,” she said. As Singles’ Day continues to evolve from a China-focused shopping event into a global retail phenomenon, AliExpress is positioning itself at the centre of the movement — and Pop Mart’s Labubu trend is proving to be the perfect catalyst.