I’m a shopping expert – you’re taking the wrong souvenirs home from holidays

A SHOPPING expert has revealed the items that no one should ever buy while on holiday.

Souvenirs are a great way to bring memories back from trips, but some people make poor choices when selecting what to buy.

GettySouvenirs are a great way to bring memories back from our holidays[/caption]

Whether they’re too big, too fragile or just simply not permitted to be taken through customs, some items just aren’t suitable to be brought home.

In an interview with Travel + Leisure, Kristen Gall, who’s a shopping expert at Rakuten, provided some useful tips to explain which items people should never bring back from their trips away.

She said: “It’s important to keep in mind that you’re going to have to travel back with everything you purchased.

“So, avoid buying fragile, bulky, and heavy items, as you will likely have to pay for oversized luggage fees once you get to the airport.

“Be careful when buying food or wine, as it may not make it through customs. Foods like chocolate are typically fine, but items like meat and produce are likely prohibited to come back into the country.”

There are other souvenirs that should be avoided too, including snow globes.

The festive ornaments may seem like a good thing to bring back from a winter break.

However, it’s impossible for airport security to tell how much liquid is in them.

Therefore, if you try and fly with one in your hand luggage, it’s likely to be confiscated at the airport.

Elsewhere, tourists are being warned against bringing back natural souvenirs form some holidays as well.

Rocks on the beach in Fuertaventura that resemble popcorn are also on the list of things people shouldn’t bring home.

Visitors are said to be taking home bucketfuls of the unusually shaped “stones”, which are actually fossilised algae that help the formation of sandy beaches.

Environmental officers from the Canary Islands say great harm is being done every time a tourist or a local resident takes a handful of the “popcorn” away.

Experts estimate that about ten kilos of the “popcorn” is being “stolen” from the beach each month, or 120kg per year.

Meanwhile, these other holiday mistakes could be costing you money every time you go away.

And these other mistakes could lead to you having a much worse time on your holidays.

APPeople are often guilty of picking up bad items as souvenirs while away on holiday[/caption]  Read More 

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