Issue No. 1989
17 - 23 August 2023
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH • EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
BUYER BEWARE
TORREVIEJA Council has launched a campaign aimed at discouraging the spread of unlicensed street traders, by fining the buyer as well as the seller. In the summer, the population of Torrevieja multiplies by four, and the council is now striving to ‘not only attack the supply, but also the de mand’ for products bought from the top man ta (illegal street vendors) on its promenade. The Spanish term ‘Top Manta’ (literally top blan ket) refers to unautho rised street vendors who lay out their wares on top of a blanket which is laid out on the pavement. The unlicensed traders are renowned for selling goods with fake labels or pirated products, the sheet or blanket also serves as a useful addi tion to bundle everything
TOP MANTA: If buying goods, you will be penalised.
up and run for it when the police arrive. The council has now started a campaign to in form people about the in troduction of fines of €200 for those who pur chase goods from these il legal sellers. The fine is part a local law amend ment and is described as ‘one more step that we
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have been taking in the fight against the top man ta,’ according to Federico Alarcón, councillor for Se curity. He explains that the au thorities used to focus solely on the sellers, with the Local Police or Guardia Civil seizing coun terfeit items and main taining a police presence
to deter the practice. But now, in Torrevieja, where the population soars in the summer months, the city council has deemed it vital to ‘not only attack the supply, but also the demand’. As a result, an ordinance has been ap proved that penalises anyone buying goods from the top manta. “Part of the task is to be able to inform the citizen, and particularly the tourist, who may not be aware,” he adds. The council’s strategy is being broadly publicised through adverts on social media, LED screen adver tising, and it can also be found in local shops. Significantly, the infor mation is being made available in both Spanish and English to cater to both domestic and inter national audiences, as many buyers are resident tourists.
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