Published Sat, Jan 31, 2026 · 10:30 AM
POP Mart International Group is setting up a London headquarters for its European operations as the Chinese maker of Labubu collectible toys seeks a new growth market after its breakout success in the US.
The company will open 27 new stores in Europe in the coming year, including as many as seven in the UK, where more than 150 jobs will be created, according to a statement from the British government.
The announcement was made during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to China as he seeks to boost business ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
Establishing a base in the UK underscores Pop Mart’s ambition in Europe, where it posted rapid growth last year amid rising global popularity of Labubu, the plush fantasy creature that comes in myriad versions. Europe accounted for less than 3.4 per cent of the Beijing-based toymaker’s revenue in the first half of 2025, compared with 16.3 per cent from the Americas.
Pop Mart has been recruiting artists across Europe to tailor designs to local preferences, posting job ads on its Instagram accounts for countries including the UK, France and Italy. “We follow a localised design approach across different countries and regions to reinforce brand recognition among global consumers from diverse cultural backgrounds,” chief executive officer Wang Ning said in August at an earnings briefing.
The company operated 18 physical stores in Europe as at mid-2025 and has since opened at least eight new outlets across the continent, in cities including Copenhagen and Rome. Sales in overseas markets have been surging, becoming Pop Mart’s key growth driver.
Though some Labubu dolls still fetch a price premium in the secondary market, signs of cooling demand have stoked market worries in recent months about the franchise’s sustainability and scepticism over Pop Mart’s ability to generate more Labubu-like success.
Shares of Pop Mart have dropped more than 30 per cent from their August peak around the height of the Labubu mania. BLOOMBERG
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