Beach clubs and packed lunches, UNC’s position

On the packed lunch issue, which has erupted this season in Puglia, the position of Italianbeach.club and Guida ai migliori beach club d’Italia has already been expressed: it would be useful and nice if managers reserved an area of the establishment dedicated to those who wish to consume something they brought from home, either for budget reasons or simply – a very delicate aspect, since people’s health is at stake – for possible allergies or intolerances. That said, the controversy continues with clashes that are often ideological and go beyond the substance of the issue, which is much simpler: does a customer have the right to bring food from home or not?

A response on the ban imposed by beach establishments comes from Massimiliano Dona, head of Unione Nazionale Consumatori. He stated to AdnKronos: “It is unlawful behavior. The concession only concerns beach services.” This, Dona clarifies, means that the customer is prohibited from using the surface covered by the concession to lay out their own beach umbrella or sun lounger. “Because precisely on that object of the concession the manager has an exclusive right. But it has nothing to do with food and beverage service. And this applies even if the beach has a bar or restaurant.”

Therefore, he reiterates, “the ban on bringing food is completely illegitimate.” The only limit, he emphasizes, “concerns propriety and respect for other guests.” So: “no problem with a small water bottle, a sandwich, even lasagna in a container or the famous cooler bag,” while it would be different “to expect to set up a sort of barbecue or have a family lunch among the beach umbrellas,” because in that case the issue concerns “respect and enjoyment of other guests.”