A new scheme using garlic bread to reduce food waste is coming to M&S's Hitchin store in Bancroft.

Every day, unsold loaves of bread will be filled with garlic butter by bakery staff before being frozen to extend their shelf life by 40 days.

More than 1.4 million re-purposed loaves were sold across 390 M&S stores last year, with the scheme coming to a further 60 stores this year.

Customers in Hitchin will be able to choose from a garlic baguette or boule, San Francisco sourdough garlic bread, or West Country cheddar and Red Leicester garlic cob.

M&S has committed to halving food waste by 2029/30, and is aiming to become a net zero business by 2040.

Hannah Manton, store manager at M&S Hitchin, said: “Our in-store bakery team creates the highest quality bread, baked daily for our customers.

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We believe each loaf is too good to waste and our customers agree. By getting creative we’ve found a way to extend shelf life and create new delicious products for our customers – at great value too, from £1.

The scheme has been well received at other stores and we are delighted to now be able to offer these brilliant products to our customers in Hitchin and continue to play our part in reducing food waste.”

Catherine David, director of collaboration and change at WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), said: “It’s great to see a simple and effective idea grow in this way and become a big hit with shoppers.

"Our latest household food waste research shows that bread is the second most wasted food in UK homes with the equivalent of more than one million loaves binned daily.

"It can easily become surplus at the end of trading so giving a second life to a surplus loaf is an excellent way to reduce waste, make our food go further and feed families.”