The Hidden Sea removes 10m plastic bottles from oceans

Eco-conscious wine brand The Hidden Sea is celebrating a significant milestone in its environmental mission to clean up the world's oceans.

In a year which has seen its products launch in four high-street retailers in the UK, the company has removed more than 10 million single-use plastic bottles from the ocean - setting the company well on the way to its target of removing and recycling one billion bottles by 2030.

To mark the occasion, The Hidden Sea has teamed up with British marine biologist Madeline St Clair to release a letter asking the British public to step up and help clear more single-use plastics from the oceans in 2022. It will be supported by an integrated PR and digital campaign.

Founded in 2020, The Hidden Sea has put tackling plastic waste at the heart of its operations. For every case of its wine sold globally, one kilo of plastic - the equivalent of around 60 plastic bottles - is removed from the oceans and recycled.

Justin Moran, co-founder of The Hidden Sea, said: "Smashing this milestone is a fantastic achievement, and we're grateful to retailers in the UK for getting behind us. This moment demonstrates that consumers - when given the opportunity - will make more socially conscious, meaningful choices if they place them at the heart of a movement. 

"But the job is not done; we're on a mission to remove one billion [plastic bottles] by 2030. To achieve this goal, more support is vital, so we'll be investing heavily to sound the alarm, expand our ambassador base, get the support of further retailers, and drive consumers to store."

Madeline St Clair added: "The Hidden Sea's 10+ million bottle milestone is a wonderful example of how businesses can affect change when they put the planet at the centre of their focus. The world's oceans are vital to the health of the planet and the simple truth is that plastic, of any kind, does not belong in the world's waters."

The Hidden Sea works in partnership with ReSea Project, a Danish organisation committed to removing ocean waste plastic and recycling it while supporting communities most directly affected by ocean waste. The producer has also entered a licence agreement with Climate Active with the goal of achieving carbon neutral status for its range of wines for vintage year 2021 and onwards.

The Hidden Sea's Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Rosé, Shiraz and Red Blend wines - from its vineyards in South Australia - are stocked in Asda, Sainsbury's, and selected Co-op and Booths stores across the UK.

7 February 2022 - Bethany Whymark