Do you know which souvenirs you’re banned from bringing home? Take our quiz to find out

We take a look into the surprisingly controversial world of the holiday memento, including the purchases that could land you in trouble

Take our quiz below to test your souvenirs knowledge and tell us about souvenirs you have collected in the comments
Whether it’s a gaudy magnet or a branded shot-glass, a certain sort of souvenir has been proudly pushing the boundaries of taste since time immemorial. But the souvenir is also a reflection of the way a destination markets itself – and there a conflict can sometimes arise: something the Sicilian town of Agrigento knows all too well. 
It was recently announced that the popular holiday destination will serve as Italy’s Capital of Culture next year, and in anticipation of its time in the limelight, the town’s gift shops are to be banned from selling their ubiquitous Mafia-themed souvenirs – which currently include clothing, bottle openers, mugs and postcards, many showing figures in traditional coppola-and-waistcoat attire holding shotguns. Instead, tourists are being encouraged to purchase mementos that show the destination in a more favourable light. 
Agrigento is certainly not the first town to try to clean up its reputation this way. In Colombia, similar gangland connections have led to a debate within congress, where legislators are keen to ban souvenirs of the drug lord Pablo Escobar, saying: “These items are re-victimising people who were victims of murderers.” The proposal suggests that vendors who sell merchandise that depicts Escobar or other convicted criminals should be fined $170 (£130), although many shopkeepers are reportedly unhappy with the change, as it’s the tourists, they say, who specifically request Escobar-themed items. 
The battle is raging in Barcelona, too, where the city council is investigating the option of banning “offensive” and “tasteless” souvenirs, saying that “they are a shabby mess, which degrades the image of Barcelona as a tourist destination”. Councillors have also noted that some items go beyond being aesthetically unpleasant, citing the prevalence of homophobic and sexist merchandise. While an inquiry into the possibility of banning such items is ongoing, Jordi Valls, Barcelona’s deputy mayor for economy, warned that the process might require an imaginative solution. “It is difficult to standardise it because what is considered in bad taste is a matter of very high subjectivity,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Florence, the director of the Accademia Gallery – the home of Michelangelo’s David – has launched a series of lawsuits against sellers who “debase” the famous statue. These include figurines and bottle openers that focus on the sculpture’s genitalia, plus images and clothing that feature the statue. While not banned, the lawsuits invoke Italy’s “cultural heritage code”, which protects artistic treasures against disparaging commercial use. For some in the city, it is a noble endeavour; others fear it will backfire, limiting the number of products marketed to tourists. 
Then there are the animal products. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – or Cites – is an agreement between governments that prohibits the movement of rare wildlife across borders. Britain is a part of this agreement, meaning that a large number of animal products cannot be brought across the border. Elephant ivory is one of them. So is sea-turtle shell in any form – the World Wide Fund for Nature mentions jewellery, hairbrushes and sunglasses as items that are commonly made of the substance in some areas, so watch out for those glossy hairgrips in the gift shop. 
Another, perhaps rarer, product is shahtoosh. This is the wool of the endangered Tibetan antelope, which, in some Asian countries, is used to make shawls and other items of clothing (much to the chagrin of animal rights charities). The wool has become popular in recent years, but be warned: moving it out of its country of origin is illegal. And the Cites agreement also means that other items – such as orchids, coral, reptile skins and caviar weighing more than 125g – require a permit. 
For some tourists, such bans will mark a genuinely significant change in shopping habits. In Spain, an alarming decrease in the number of conch shells has led to a ban on selling the items. Once abundant, the shells have all but disappeared as a result of overharvesting. These products were once a mainstay of tourist shops – now, it is illegal for them to be collected and sold. Be vigilant, however, as experts have warned that some vendors have yet to heed the rule changes (which could leave tourists open to prosecution). 
Similar restrictions apply to prevent antiques being illegally smuggled over borders. In Thailand, the looting of ancient sites to service the antiques trade has led to a total export ban on statues of any part of the Buddha – hands and feet, for example. These appendages have, in some cases, been hacked off temple statues to be smuggled out of the country – an act that the Thai government describes as a desecration of the country’s religious culture. Although large-scale statues should subsequently be given a wide berth, smaller Buddha-themed items are generally acceptable (there is technically a limit of five such images per person). 
Similar rules apply in many other countries: generally, if there is a risk that an object could have cultural value, it is best to be cautious. Travellers leaving Georgia, for example, should be aware that “coins, paintings, jewellery, inscriptions and armour with heritage significance” are monitored; tourists are advised to declare anything that could be construed as antique before leaving the country. 
Buying souvenirs is a charming, often necessary part of a holiday and, generally, tourists are encouraged to shop to their hearts’ content. While uglier items might rile up a host nation – Denver Airport banned cannabis-themed souvenirs in 2016, for example – most remain an acceptable way to mark a trip. International agencies note that often, items that aren’t explicitly prohibited might still require tourists to consider the ethics of the product they are buying, whether that is a sulphur-based souvenir in Indonesia (where miners battle through dangerous conditions to collect the substance) or fake Aboriginal-style souvenirs in Australia (which traditional artists see as exploitative). The best advice is to check before you buy, and stick to those museum gift shops for something tasteful.