The depressing reason women in Europe are ditching this age-old beach tradition

Fears of hidden cameras and unachievable beauty standards may be killing a custom long associated with freedom and progressive thinking (Picture: Getty Images)

As a kid, it was always easy to spot fellow British tourists on the beach in Spain. They were the only ones who weren’t half-naked.

Seeing European women sunbathing topless was the norm, a regular reminder that, as Brits, our stiff upper lip cursed us with bad tan lines.

But while few countries see women going topless as taboo – a 2025 YouGov survey found that most Western European countries are overwhelmingly on board with it – there’s some evidence to suggest its becoming less common.

In the same survey, 37% of Spanish women stated that they o...