Royal mess-up? Visit Jersey deletes video over sea littering concerns

Friday 15 October 2021

Visit Jersey has deleted a video from its social media accounts showing a bottle full of Jersey Royals being thrown into the sea, after concerns were raised that it would spread the wrong message about littering on local beaches.

The video came in response to a segment on Good Morning Britain where presenters Andi Peters and Laura Tobin debated what would happen if a bottle travelled "in a straight line" from St. Ouen’s Bay.

However, some users on Twitter took issue with the video, with one commenting that it was a “simply unacceptable marketing stunt” and another remarking there was already “enough plastic” floating in the ocean.

The tweets were subsequently removed, with Visit Jersey telling those voicing concerns that “our spuds only went for a quick dip” and were later “scooped out to safety.” 

Pictured: Visit Jersey removed the video after concerns were raised about its "perceived environmental impact."

However, some on the site still cast doubt on whether the bottle had been removed, pointing to a tweet later on to the presenters stating: “we can't wait to see where our Royals land! Where do you reckon? Are you still on team America.”

A spokesperson for Visit Jersey told Express: “The bottle was taken out of the sea as soon as the clip had been filmed. 

“This was intended to be a light-hearted response to the debate between presenters Andi Peters and Laura Tobin based on where someone would land if they travelled in a straight line from St. Ouen’s Bay. 

“However, after a couple of concerns were raised about the perceived environmental impact, we took the decision to remove the video.”