Young Brits say they would be much happier at the beach if their tech needs could be met. Gen Z Britons cite gross beach toilets, dying phone batteries and parking nightmares as the worst things about a day at the seaside.
A new poll of 2,000 people reveals the top beach day grumbles for young adults, with filthy loos (43%), parking nightmares (30%) and seagulls nicking chips (25%) leaving the TikTok generation fuming. Another 12% complain about losing signal, while one in ten (11%) can't see their screen in the sun, and nearly as many sulk because there's nowhere to charge their phone. The sea too cold (19%), long walks (20%), and sandy feet (21%) are also among the top moans.
Tech Woes Dominate
Phones matter more than sun cream for today's youth. As many as 84% of Gen Z say poor signal frustrates them, and the same number panic their tech will get trashed. Seven in ten (70%) say a dying battery ruins the day, compared to just 37% of boomers. Three in ten Gen Z and over a quarter of millennials have actually bailed on the beach early because their phone was running low.
While the nation has a few beach day grumbles, the research found that on average, Brits enjoy at least four beach days every summer, with 90% saying that some of their best summer memories are from time on the beach. When it comes to nostalgic seaside holiday memories from childhood, eating fish and chips wrapped in newspaper (55%), spending time with family (51%), arcades with 2p machines (45%), collecting seashells (44%), and eating sticks of rock (36%) hold special memories.
Solution: Solar-Powered Parasol
Echo tech brand Hive has created a solar-powered beach parasol, the Hive Powersol, which can charge phones and gadgets. Harnessing the sun, the parasol generates renewable electricity to keep gadgets topped up throughout the day, providing shade and power for beachgoers.
Susan Wells, Solar Director at Hive, said: "When the weather heats up, Britain heads to the coast, but beaches rarely offer power. Dead phones and no charging points have become a familiar frustration, especially when people rely on their devices for digital tickets, maps, messaging and mobile payments. At a time when energy can feel unpredictable, we wanted to give people a way to feel more in control – so with the Hive Powersol, we're literally harnessing the power of the sun to keep Britain powered up, wherever they are."
Top 25 Beach Day Grumbles
- Gross public toilets 43%
- Finding a car park with space 30%
- Sand in shoes 26%
- Seagulls attacking 25%
- Sand in food 22%
- Sandy feet 21%
- Long walk from car park 20%
- Sea too cold 19%
- Too many pebbles 19%
- Too hot 18%
- Sand blowing in face 17%
- Cutting foot on sharp stones 13%
- No phone signal 12%
- Stepping on slimy seaweed 12%
- Can't see phone screen too bright 11%
- Jellyfish sting 10%
- Wees in sea because loos far 10%
- Nowhere to charge phone 9%
- Hair frizzy/sticky 9%
- Sandals rubbing 9%
- Hair blowing in face 9%
- Sand in phone case 8%
- Stepping on crab 7%
