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.”