A MOBILE billboard circles Walkers' HQ in Reading today (Monday) to protest the production of plastic crisp packets.

Research shows Walkers will produce 28 billion plastic packets by 2025 - the year the firm has vowed to make all its packets 100 per cent recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.

A campaign group named 38 degrees discovered that Walkers produce more than 7,000 non-recyclable crisp packets every day from the Leicester factory.

They have organised a meeting with senior executives at Pepsico, the parent company of Walkers, at the Reading office on Tuesday to demand they are more ambitious about tackling the problem of plastic waste.

And a mobile billboard was sent to circle the Green Park office to enforce campaigners' message.

Lorna Greenwood, campaign manager, said: "38 Degrees members chipped in to pay for this mobile billboard because they want to send a message to Walkers' bosses, telling them to ditch the plastic in their packaging.

“Our research proves that big companies like Walkers aren’t taking responsibility for the astounding amount of environmentally damaging plastic waste they are producing.

“There’s huge public concern about the amount of plastic being produced, and that means it’s crunch time for Walkers to decide if they will listen to their customers.

“Their promise to deal with plastic crisp packets by 2025 is woefully inadequate. By that time, they will have produced a breathtaking amount of plastic waste without paying a penny to clean it up.  Walkers now need to listen to the great British public and ditch their plastic packaging now, instead of in seven years time.”

An online petition asking Walkers to scrap plastic packaging has so far reached more than 250,000 signatures.

Geraint Ashcroft, who started the petition and will meet with Pepsico chiefs tomorrow, said: "When I started the 38 Degrees petition, I thought that making packets recyclable would be enough but I've been shocked by headlines showing packets found still intact after 30 years. This has a horrific effect on our environment, Manufacturers need to take responsibility and it's time Walkers becomes part of the solution rather than part of the problem."