The scheme is being trialled in Northern Ireland, where food waste adding up to over 1,200 tonnes per year is being transported south to the Republic of Ireland, where the waste is transformed into farm feed and pet food.

This step is the first effort in the company's ambitious plan to reduce its landfill waste to nothing by the end of 2009.

“We are absolutely delighted that from today we can say that Northern Ireland is no longer sending food waste to landfill,” said Lawrence Christensen, head of Sainsbury’s environmental action team.

Next summer, stores throughout the UK will be following Northern Ireland’s lead and disposing of all their food waste in pet food recycling plants. Food that cannot be used for feed can be put in a digester, where methane can be collected for use in natural gas heating and the remaining solids can be used as fertilisers.