Germans hogging the sunloungers? Poll finds Italians and French are worse
A YouGov poll reveals that the stereotype of Germans being the primary 'sunlounger hoggers' is largely inaccurate, with French and Italian tourists more likely to reserve spots with towels. Despite the prevalence of the practice, most Europeans surveyed consider it unacceptable.
Why it matters
The study highlights how cultural stereotypes often persist despite contradictory data, providing insight into European social behaviors and tourism habits.
Between 51% and 63% of people said they had found themselves deprived of a sunlounger because they were all taken./iStockphoto Between 51% and 63% of people said they had found themselves deprived of a sunlounger because they were all taken./iStockphoto Europe Germans hogging the sunloungers? Poll finds Italians and French are worse British and Germans themselves share stereotype but other nationalities are likelier to put out towels – or umbrellas
Prefer the Guardian on Google Germans are sunlounger hoggers, or so the longstanding stereotype goes. But not only is that cultural trope mostly confined to British – and, even more so, German – perceptions, surprising new data reveals that in fact Italian and French holidaymakers are the ones most likely to use their towel to stake their claim to a sunlounger.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in