Benidorm Bans Offensive T-Shirts and Souvenirs from Shop Windows

The Spanish resort town of Benidorm is taking decisive action to curb the display of T-shirts and souvenirs featuring crude or offensive messages in shop windows. The municipality aims to rid its streets of these items, stating they are incompatible with the city's image.

Picture by Gemini AI

Over the past few years, an increasing number of items with sexist, racist, homophobic, or vulgar messages have appeared, particularly in well-known tourist areas, such as the ‘zona guiri’ (foreigner zone). The City Council stresses that these products do not align with the desired reputation of Benidorm.

According to the municipal government, complaints from both residents and tourists are continually on the rise. They argue that these articles disrupt public order and pose a risk to the protection of minors. The city council asserts that such displays are not only tasteless but also detrimental to the city's image and respectability.

Existing municipal regulations already prohibit the exhibition of items that could offend public morals and sensibilities. However, this rule has been loosely enforced in recent years, allowing shopkeepers to operate freely. The council is now demanding that all offensive products be removed from shop windows immediately.

Those who ignore the new directive face fines and other sanctions. Should this not be sufficient, the city council is considering even stricter measures. For now, however, the municipality intends to focus on raising awareness and securing the voluntary cooperation of local businesses.

The measure applies not only to T-shirts but also to other souvenirs, gadgets, and clothing items with offensive texts. The emphasis is strictly on what is visible in the public space: items sold inside the shop will receive less scrutiny than those displayed in the window.

With this campaign, Benidorm intends to make it clear that while tourism, humour, and commerce are welcome, boundaries must be respected. The central message is clear: a vibrant city should not come at the expense of respect and decency.