Panino police: packed lunch bans enrage Italians at pricey beach clubs
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/11/ban-on-packed-lunches-at-italian-beach-enrages-customersOpen linkView original on lemmy.zipSyndicated from the fediverse. Read and engage on the original instance.
View original on lemmy.ziphttps://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/11/ban-on-packed-lunches-at-italian-beach-enrages-customersOpen linkView original on lemmy.zip
10 replies
Bringing food from outside doesn't cause people to not want to order your food.
People bring outside food because they never wanted to buy yours in the first place.
In Italy all coast and so also beaches are public property
But ... Historically many coastal towns kind of rented the beaches to families who built empires on overcharging customers, blocking sea access and also issuing bogus rules like to external food.
Now there is an European directive to which Italy should adhere that imposes those beach concessions to be actually competition and not assigned by divine rule of birth.
Of course, the families whose main income is that, and who used to live 12 months from the income of June/July/august, do not agree.
While still illegal to block import of food and public access to the sea, in many places it happens.
Also, in many places there are publicly accessible beaches with infrastructure (showed, toilet, bar...) bit those are not the touristy spots
What usually happens is that someone would rent a chair and umbrella for a high price and not have any more money to spend on their pricy food. Usually these resorts are not the main source of income for people, they are usually owned by people that already have a somewhat profitable business like a bar or restaurant.
Banning outside food just makes me wanna leave sooner. And I'll still sneak my food in
You paid 700 euro for a chair and umbrella spot for the season, already. No one will care if you aren't in it.
Beach culture in Italy is almost as toxic as Football. Fuck resorts, the legalised corruption with which they assign licenses, fuck all the people packed together on a tiny patch of sand "washed" by trash and piss-filled water, fuck highways with kilometres-long queues and overpriced petrol.
If I have to go the beach, I go to rocky beaches, where the water is clear and there are fewer people because they're all brain-dead pussies. Bonus points if it takes a hike to get there.
Otherwise I'll go to the river.
In states like Florida and California, all of the coastal beaches are public property by law. It is illegal for a private landowner to claim part of the beach.
I was in Miramar a few months back. Some of the larger condo complexes definitely had signs up saying most of the beach was private, it was only a sliver right by the waves that was public access.
Coral Gables too, there were swathes gated off to private residences. Not sure if it was legal or not, but sure seemed to be accepted.
They can put up all the signs they want. The statewide law is that wet sand areas are public access, no matter what, and cannot be blocked or screwed with by anyone. Dry sand can be privately owned property. Many counties will expand on that wet sand law, such as walton county, where Miramar beach is at, and the public is required to be able to have access to walk or jog the first 20 feet of dry sand as well. Also sunbathe there from like 9 to 4...... But you have to be separated by 5 feet from anyone when using the dry 20 feet worth of sand.
We cant have nice things cause most people are pigs leave their garbage on the beach instead of taking it with them. The issue is not the food the issue is dirty people that have no self awareness. Take the garbage with you and keep the beaches clean and no one would complain. I was at the beach for 4th of July and people are pigs!