Top 10 Funniest Banned Products
#10: Contested Maps
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Morocco If you’re visiting Morocco, you may want to carefully consider what maps and guidebooks you show around! An area known as the Western Sahara has been under dispute between Morocco and an Algerian independence movement known as the Polisario Front. Because Morocco considers the territory part of its country, local maps don’t separate the Western Sahara from Morocco itself. Yet many other international maps depict a dotted line, and reportedly these are sometimes confiscated. Google Maps even had this line removed for Moroccan users after three years of lobbying. Maps purchased within the country will also lack this dotted line.
#9: Winnie-the-Pooh
Poland He’s been banned in China because some folks thought he looked a lot like Chinese president Xi Jinping. But China isn’t the only country that’s taken a stance against poor Pooh. The small Polish town of Tuszyn lashed out at the famous bear for “dubious sexuality” and being half-naked. Referring to him as a “hermaphrodite”, local politicians felt the bear’s lack of pants to be highly offensive. The popular children’s character was being considered as a mascot for a children’s playground when local councilors got involved. Upon hearing the news, Roo, Eeyore and Piglet asked Christopher Robin for help but to no avail.
#8: Scrabble
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Romania During his time in office, President Nicolae Ceaușescu ruled Romania with an iron fist. His totalitarian regime was marked by economic mismanagement, mass surveillance, and human rights abuses. One of the many things he cracked down on … was Scrabble! In the 1980s, he argued that the game was “overly intellectual” and a “subversive evil”. Debates around whether a word is legitimate or not are common when playing the game, but to make it illegal, well that’s something else! Fortunately, Ceaușescu was overthrown in the Romanian Revolution of 1989. Today, you can argue over Scrabble in Romania without worrying that the government will penalize you.
#7: Lace Underwear
Russia, Belarus & Kazakhstan Here’s one where people really got their knickers in a knot. In the early 2010s, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan imposed a new law that made it illegal to sell, import, or purchase underwear with less than 6% cotton. Since many luxury lingerie garments are made with less than 4% cotton, it effectively banned them from consumer use. The ban was put in place in an attempt to protect women from synthetic garments that could cause skin irritation and other problems. It was met with outrage by many women, who protested the change in regulations.
#6: Goldfish Bowls
Rome, Italy For many kids, a goldfish was their very first pet! A small oval bowl with a bright orange fish in it could be seen on the dressers of countless children. Unless of course you grew up in Rome in the 2000s! In 2005, it was deemed that, while owning a pet fish is fine, keeping it in a fishbowl is cruel. Fishbowls were therefore made illegal. Reportedly, this was because of the belief that round bowls make fish go blind. Hopefully the ban didn’t result in people getting rid of their pets, but in owners upgrading their domiciles.
#5: Blue Jeans
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North Korea Sometimes known as the “hermit kingdom”, North Korea has isolated itself from the rest of the world, and fiercely resists Western influence. The totalitarian state isn’t afraid to impose draconian restrictions to uphold the status quo. One interesting example is a ban on people wearing blue jeans! It’s not even jeans per se that are illegal, but just specifically blue ones. Black denim might be fine but blue crosses a line! Blue jeans are seen as a major symbol of American culture and therefore aren’t permitted within the borders of North Korea.
#4: Durian
Public Transport, Singapore Ask anyone in the culinary arts what the smelliest fruit is, and they’ll tell you it’s durian. Native to many parts of Southeast Asia, the hardshell exterior is covered in thorns giving it a similar appearance to that of an oversized bur. Although quite popular in the area, the pungent stench of the fruit has seen it banned on public transportation in Singapore. Although it’s popular in the country and can still be purchased in local markets, eating it on the subway is definitely a no-no! Some hotels have also banned it, as it’s lingering smell, often compared to raw sewage, can last for days.
#3: Flip Flops
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Capri, Italy Go for a walk along a beach in the summer months and you’re bound to hear that signature sound coming from the feet of many beach goers. Flip flops of course get their name from the sound made when they tap against the back of the foot. All too common in most places, the sound became such an annoyance to residents of Capri, Italy that they banned them, along with any noisy footwear, entirely. It’s a curious restriction, but not without merit. For those used to the peace and quiet of their town, an influx of any unwanted sound could certainly be disruptive.
#2: Red Sprinkles
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United Kingdom & EU Have you ever heard of erythrosine? It’s a red food coloring chemical used in the sugar sprinkles often associated with ice cream. It’s also the reason why those very same colorful additions are illegal in the United Kingdom. Known as E127, the additive is quite commonly used in North America but is highly restricted in the UK and EU, forcing local bake shops to use alternatives. They claim the chemical has been linked to hyperactivity in children, which is why it’s typically only allowed in cocktail and candy cherries. Sorry ice cream lovers, you’ll have to stick to a cherry on top with no sprinkles - at least, no red ones!
#1: Chewing Gum
Singapore Yup, it is illegal to sell chewing gum in Singapore. Implemented in 1992, there were several reasons why this ban went into effect. A big part of it had to do with the 1987 launch of their mass rapid transit system. People had reportedly been placing chewed gum on the train door sensors, preventing them from closing correctly. It had also become a littering nuisance for many residents. Vandals would often stick the gum on mailboxes, public seats, key holes, elevator buttons, and countless other places creating an unsanitary disaster. Interestingly enough however is the fact that the use of chewing gum is not illegal, just its sale and importation.
