Baby Three contains chemicals: Buyers panic, small traders simultaneously lose money

(Dan Tri) - The Baby Three toy product that once "caused a fever" in the market is now being warned of containing cancer-causing chemicals that exceed the threshold. Many consumers have expressed concern, and many retailers have been forced to sell off to recover capital.

Concerns about Baby Three purchased

Recently, Quang Ninh Provincial Police discovered a shipment of nearly 2,000 "Baby Three" teddy bears containing formaldehyde levels exceeding the permitted threshold according to national technical regulations on children's toys.

This shipment was immediately destroyed, warning about the potential risks from toys of unknown origin and poor quality, which can seriously affect the health of consumers, especially children.

Many consumers have expressed concerns about the quality of Baby Three toys. Ms. Thu Thao (Cau Giay District, Hanoi ) said she bought two Baby Three teddy bears at a souvenir shop late last year, each costing nearly 1 million VND.

A shipment of nearly 2,000 Baby Three toy products was discovered and destroyed in Quang Ninh (Photo: Quang Ninh Provincial Police).

“When I read the information about the shipment containing toxic substances being destroyed, I was very worried because I did not know whether the products I bought were safe or not. The toys looked the same on the outside, without traceability codes or anti-counterfeit stamps, so it was difficult to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods,” Ms. Thao shared.

Similarly, Mr. Phuc Vinh, a parent in District 10 (HCMC), also expressed concern when his daughter owned 3 Baby Three products given to her on her recent birthday.

He did not know where the donor had bought the toys and whether the products had a clear origin. After hearing about the shipment containing toxic substances being destroyed, he felt hesitant and worried about whether he should let his children continue to use these toys.

Simultaneous loss-making and sell-off

In fact, according to a survey by Dan Tri reporters in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City markets, many stores still sell Baby Three toys, but the price has decreased by 20-50% compared to the popular time.

According to market records, when Baby Three was popular, this product appeared densely at retail points, especially on sidewalks and crowded areas. Consumers could easily find this item on many major streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

However, the number of points of sale has now decreased sharply, with only a few small businesses remaining. Many small traders said they had to liquidate at low prices to recover capital, and switch to other business models due to reduced purchasing power and concerns about product quality.

Mr. Vinh, a Blind Box (blind bag) product seller in Hanoi, said that around October 2024, the Baby Three toy line became a fever in the Vietnamese market.

At that time, Baby Three attracted a large number of buyers aged 20 to 27, even children were interested and sought after. Realizing the market potential, Mr. Vinh quickly imported the product for business. In the early stages, this item sold very well, with prices ranging from 500,000 to 1.2 million VND per product, depending on the size.

However, according to Mr. Vinh, at the beginning of this year, the wave of buying Baby Three quickly "cooled down". At the same time, the Tho Thi Tran V2 version of this brand was involved in a scandal related to sensitive images of eye bags and tears. Since then, Baby Three has gradually become less accepted by people, and sales have been decreasing.

By March, Mr. Vinh was forced to accept a loss on about 30 inventory products to recover capital. He shared that there were products that were sold at peak prices of 1.2 million VND, then reduced to only 700,000 VND but still very few people bought them.

A "blind box" toy store in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Vi Quang).

"Sometimes, selling these products will have to accept a loss when the trend ends. Those who sell with little inventory can still make a profit or break even, but those with a lot of inventory may suffer heavy losses," he said.

Ms. Quynh, living in Long Bien district (Hanoi), said that at the end of 2024, Baby Three was promoted and unboxed by many famous people and KOLs on social networks. Because she was curious and interested, Ms. Quynh ordered 2 products for 1 million VND.

She shared that buying without knowing what the product looked like inside created a special feeling of excitement and curiosity. At one point, she owned nearly 20 different Baby Three products, with a total amount of money spent up to nearly 20 million VND.

“Earlier this year, people talked less about Baby Three and the product was involved in sensitive controversies. Besides, many people thought the product could be harmful to health, so I didn’t buy any more,” Quynh said. In April, she posted it for sale on liquidation groups, but very few people asked to buy it, even though the price was reduced by 50%. Currently, Quynh still has 4 Baby Three products in the closet, unable to liquidate.

On online marketplace groups, many Baby Three sellers have posted about their sales, some even clearing out all their inventory at steep discounts. Blind boxes that used to cost between VND250,000 and VND700,000 are now being sold for only VND100,000 and VND300,000. Some people are willing to cut the price in half compared to normal in the hope of recouping their investment.

At a shop specializing in blind boxes on Ta Quang Buu Street (District 8, Ho Chi Minh City), a retailer said they were selling at a loss, lowering the price of Baby Three products to 100,000 to 500,000 VND per box.

Previously, some versions were sought after by consumers, with the store selling 10 to 20 boxes each night, at prices ranging from 300,000 to 700,000 VND depending on the size. However, in recent months, the number of customers has decreased significantly, with some days not selling a single box, causing the store to not dare to import new products.

While many businesses are taking advantage of the situation to sell off, others have chosen to stop distributing Baby Three altogether. Many social media accounts have also called for a boycott of this product line, arguing that consumption should stop to end the trend that risks affecting health.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/baby-three-chua-hoa-chat-nguoi-mua-hoang-mang-tieu-thuong-dong-loat-xa-lo-20250604171725549.htm