Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Things Are Illegal In Europe But Not In The U.S.

Person in handcuffs
Photo by niu niu on Unsplash

Whenever a person is getting ready to travel, one piece of advice they should always listen to is to read up on the local laws of the place they're visiting.

Because there are activities that might be acceptable back home that will land a person in jail in another country.


Curious, Redditor Judgmental_Squirrel asked:

"What is something illegal in Europe but not in the US?"

Baby Names

"In Denmark, we can't just name our babies anything we want. We have an approved names list to pick from. We can request a name that is not on the list but it rarely gets approved."

- Healthy_Highlight_71

No Medicine Commercials in Europe

"Pharmaceutical companies marketing directly to consumers."

- ConstantlySlippery

Aesthetic Dog Changes

"Docking dog's tails and cropping their ears."

- Penguinair

Also Cat Aesthetics

"Declawing cats. Most countries here do not allow that."

- DreamingDragonSoul

Crate-Training Animals

"In Germany and in other European countries, it's illegal to lock dogs in cages or crates for extended periods of time. As in daily while you are at work, for example. It's considered animal abuse."

"So many people in the US do this and I've always thought it was abusive. It amazes me how they justify it as, 'Oh, my dog loves the secure feeling of being in his crate' when it's only done for the owner's convenience."

- KookyPiccolo1661

Enough Said.

"Flamethrowers."

- squirrelrap69

Predatory Pricing

"Selling something below the price you bought it for (with the intention to sabotage other businesses). For example, Walmart tried to do this in Germany to destroy their rivals, but they failed miserably and completely retreated out of Germany."

- Lord_Gelthon

Washing Eggs Pre-Sale

"I'm in the US, and a former workmate has chickens as a hobby and gives away the eggs, unwashed. They are in the carton and obviously straight from the nest, because there are all sorts of particles of an output nature on the eggs."

"In Europe, eggs at the stores have sometimes a bit of poop or even feathers on them. Either rinse them before or just wash your hands after. But usually, they're quite clean."

- rncookiemaker

Not Okay in Europe

"Well, Colorado just made it legal to grow psychedelic mushrooms in your own home."

- ITRabbitHole

Additives in Food and Drinks

"Brominated vegetable oil."

- Marijn_fly

Satire Not Allowed

"In the UK at least, showing footage from parliament in a comedy show. More specifically, 'No extracts from parliamentary proceedings may be used in comedy shows or other light entertainment such as political satire.'"

"I only learned that when I tried to watch an episode of 'The Daily Show' that was blocked in the UK for that reason.US comedy shows can show congress all they want."

- Moctor_Drignall

No Sick Days

"This is the main reason I quit my job at Walmart. I had strep throat, so I got a doctor's note and asked that my absences be excused. The managers there refused, and so I quit."

"By the way, Walmart counts your absences as points against you. For example, if you're absent and call in to let them know, you still get a point. Get five points and you're fired. Really makes you feel like a worker drone in a dystopian novel."

- stellaluna-37

The Impact of Additives

"The US has a use it until it's proven harmful policy, and the EU the other way around. Prove it doesn't harm (in given and reasonable quantities) and you can use it."

"Fun fact, some friendly Americans after moving to Europe started realizing they did not suffer from suspected lactose/gluten/you name it intolerance but simply had their guts harmed by additives and seen their symptoms improve here. Check your additives, kids."

- ArtichokeFamiliar205

Candy Distribution

"Various ingredients found in lollies/sweets/candy e.g titanium dioxide. There are tighter restrictions on food production in Europe resulting in American companies having to alter their recipes so they can be sold in European countries."

"A lot of US-based companies partner with foreign companies to meet these laws (so the healthier versions rarely reach US soil). In French Polynesia for example, Coca-Cola partners with La Brasserie de Tahiti, and all of it is made with real sugar and sold in glass bottles that you return to any store for a discount on your next purchase."

"I can't remember for sure if the glass bottles are a law or just the standard for La Brasserie de Tahiti. Either way, it's a great example of how easy it is to cut our reliance on plastic. The public will adopt it quickly, it's really just corporate greed getting in the way."

- A0ma

Sale Sale Sale

"Artificially jacking up prices of things only to then put them 'on sale' when the sale price is really just the always-intended price."

- peachpinkjedi

While the word "illegal" may make most people think of illegal activities that a citizen might perform, most of the illegal acts here were in regards to public safety, as well as allowing the general public to live a healthier life.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Lewis Capaldi; Kim Kardashian
Sarah Stier/Getty Images; Karwai Tang/WireImage

Lewis Capaldi Has Hilarious Reaction After He's Accidentally Romantically Linked To Kim Kardashian—But Some Fans Missed The Joke Entirely

This just in: Hollywood's hottest new couple is Kim Kardashian and... Lewis Capaldi?

Okay not really, but the internet thought so for a hot minute after the two were thought to be spotted together at Justin Bieber's Coachella performance over the weekend.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Gregg Phillips
Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images; Al Drago/Getty Images

Trump Reacts To Conspiracy Theorist FEMA Official Who Claims He Once Teleported To A Waffle House

President Donald Trump appeared noticeably confused after CNN asked him about FEMA official Gregg Phillips' bizarre claim that he once teleported to a Waffle House 50 miles away.

Phillips, a former top Texas health official, was appointed in December to lead FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery—a division with more than 1,000 employees—despite a background that raised questions. For instance, before taking the role, he had made unverified claims, including allegations about election fraud.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Riley Gaines
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images; Ivan Apfel/Getty Images

Trump Just Made A Brutal Dig At Anti-Trans Swimmer Riley Gaines After She Criticized His AI Jesus Photo—And Yikes

President Donald Trump lashed out in typical fashion at former swimmer and anti-trans activist Riley Gaines after she criticized his decision to post an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ.

Last week, the Pope criticized Trump's widely unpopular war in Iran and called on the world "to reject war, especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate and is not resolving anything."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of JD Vance
Fox News

JD Vance Ripped After Directly Contradicting Trump's Defense Of His AI Jesus Photo—And Whoops!

Vice President JD Vance was mocked online after he directly contradicted President Donald Trump's defense for why he posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ.

Last week, the Pope criticized Trump's widely unpopular war in Iran and called on the world "to reject war, especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate and is not resolving anything."

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot of "America’s Newsroom" anchor Dana Perino and Marc Siegel
Fox News

Fox News Just Complained About How Low Teen Pregnancy Rates Currently Are—And WTF‽‽

During a Friday segment on Fox News's America’s Newsroom with anchor Dana Perino, senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel called a declining birth rate among people aged 15-19 a "problem."

The discussion revolved around new CDC data showing the United States fertility rate, based on birth rates, has fallen to a record low. The fertility rate fell 7 percent in 2025, from 53.8 births per 1,000 childbearing aged women—defined as age 15 to 44—in 2024 to 53.1, according to a report released by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics on Thursday.

Keep ReadingShow less