This week, Greenpeace activists protested against single-use plastic in front of Nestlé’s headquarters in Vevey, according to the newspaper Le Matin.

One group of protesters, carrying a plastic monster made from plastic waste that has been touring Europe after arriving in Rotterdam from the Philippines, demanded that Nestlé take back its plastic monster.

Others carried large bags of empty plastic bottles or approached the building from the lake in inflatable boats brandishing plastic rubbish. According to Greenpeace the Swiss protest involved 65 protestors from seven countries.

Police arrived at the food giant’s headquarters in several cars but were not required to remove any of the protestors.

Nestlé spokesperson, Christoph Meier, met with journalists to clarify the company’s position. “It’s their way of communicating…they talk and we act. Internally, we have removed single use plastic and straws. We have also changed Nesquik packaging” he said. “These are just words…” according to Nathalie Favre, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Switzerland.

Someone familiar with how Greenpeace operates told Le News that they think Greenpeace is following the money. “They know people are worried about plastic so here they are with a plastic campaign.”

Getting large companies to change the way they operate is rarely easy, however, Nestlé can only continue to sell products in single-use plastic if people continue to buy them.

When did you last forget your reusable water container and buy a drink in a single-use plastic bottle? And if you did, whose rubbish is it?