In Palma, reports of police action against illegal street selling appear quite frequently, but Palma is far from being alone in having issues with illegal selling.
The Alcudia Retailers Association has called on the town hall to strengthen beach controls in order to combat illegal selling. While it praises a recent Guardia Civil-Alcudia Police operation against the sale of counterfeit products in shops - there were similar operations in Can Picafort and Playa de Muro as well - the association's president, Francisco Vénzala, warns of a "contradiction". Firm action against shops needs to be matched by tackling "the increasingly prolific illegal street vending in the Alcudia beach area".
Suggesting that this illegal selling is being "tolerated", Vénzala stresses that it "seriously affects local business, projects a negative image for tourists and leaves consumers defenceless against unsafe products."
It isn't just the beach of course. As an example, the main tourism centre, that of Avda. Pedro Mas y Reus and surroundings, is rife with illegal selling. In the vast Bellevue complex, sellers can roam seemingly unchallenged. There are no obstacles to entering, and there is very little evidence of any security.