Life-sized teddy bears, fridge magnets and olive oil - from cheap tat to works of art, Natalie Walsh looks at just what the British are bringing back from their holidays abroad

Been there, got the t-shirt ... would this be in your souvenir shopping basket? Photograph: Jerry Arcieri/Corbis

As a nation, Britons now spend a staggering £1bn a year on souvenirs brought back from their holidays, according to research released by online hotels specialist, Hotels.com.

That's an alarming amount of cuddly donkeys, sombreros, nasty pottery and lethal 100% proof liqueurs flooding through our airports - or is it?

Perhaps the only saving grace of our penchant for wantonly splurging huge wads of cash while on holiday is the fact that, apparently, our tastes have become rather more discerning.

The study reveals that the majority of us now eschew traditional tourist tat - the fez hat, the maracas, the grass skirt and coconut bra - in favour of filling our larders with gourmet treats. Local delicacies and wines now account for two thirds (68%) of all purchases while nearly 50% of those surveyed stagger home with lashings of olive oil.

Meanwhile, almost half (44%) see themselves as culture vultures and bring home local works of art.

But just as the picture of Brits abroad starts to look more favourably upmarket, dodgy fridge magnets rear their tacky heads. At the other end of the scale, just as many (43%) also admit to buying that old favourite, the humble fridge magnet, as a token of their trip.

When questioned about the strangest souvenirs ever bought, the responses included an Amazonian blow dart set, a tarantula in a glass, bottled snake wine, life-sized teddy bears and even the occasional fiancé, proving that British eccentricity is still very much alive and kicking.

Isn't it funny how those African spears and drums, Asian artefacts and Chinese lanterns that look so charming in situ rarely work in your average British semi in the suburbs? Hooray for eBay ...