A four-year-old boy was taken to hospital after a counterfeit squishy toy he was squeezing exploded, covering his face in a "thick white substance" with a sandy texture. Hudson's mother, Jodanna Bevan, said his eyes became extremely swollen and he was unable to open them the morning after the incident.
Hudson required water to be flushed through each eye to correct their pH balance. His mother stated that his vision was damaged but he was given eye drops to fix it. She expressed feeling "guilty" for buying the discounted toy from Shein.
Shein confirmed that the product is no longer available on its platform and that its customer service team has reached out to the family. The company stated that all sellers are required to comply with its code of conduct, product safety standards, and applicable laws.
The UK government reported that UK Border Force intercepted more than 260,000 counterfeit toys in the last year. Counterfeit squishy toys may contain chemicals such as phthalates and benzenes, which the UK government regulates as hazardous substances.