Studenac sea cleanup removes over 40 cubic metres of waste

Studenac, Croatia’s largest retailer by number of stores, has organised a cleanup day that removed 40 cubic metres of waste from the sea floor on the country's Adriatic coast.

Fifty employees joined members of the Mihurić Diving Center in Crikvenica for the fourth time to remove plastic, metal, rubber, glass and other types of waste from Slana Bay.

The initiative, part of Studenac’s One Step Closer to Nature environmental protection programme, has engaged a total of almost 120 employees and more than 150 divers, cleaning up more than 140 cubic metres of waste.

“This event gathered a record number of employees, which shows how our environmental commitments aren't just words – they are actions that our entire team is committed to,” says Studenac Marketing Director Nina Mimica.

“We’re supporting the communities that are home to our stores by restoring the sea to its natural state, and we hope to send a message that inspires others to care for nature in their local surroundings.”

“In addition to its harmful effect on marine life, plastic waste in the Adriatic Sea is a threat to the tourism-based economies of the cities and towns on its shores.”

"The problem of submarine and coastal pollution is a growing problem for our community,” says Marijana Biondić, Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Crikvenica.

“The clean and blue Adriatic is equally important to the local population and to the tourists for whom a clean sea is often one of the most important items when choosing a summer destination.”

Studenac, owned since 2018 by private equity fund Enterprise Investors, is implementing a series of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives as it expands nationwide from its base in the coastal region of Dalmatia.

The company uses 100% renewable energy to power its network of 750 stores, and is also striving to reduce the amount of energy it uses.

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