M&S launches £1 million bid to make its cows' wind greener to reduce methane emissions

It might sound like a load of hot air. But Marks and Spencer is spending £1million in order to make its cows' burps and farts more eco-friendly.

The High Street giant said it will work with farmers in its supply chains to introduce a new feed into their cattle's diet to reduce the amount of methane they produce.

M&S claims the move can slash up to 11,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, reducing the carbon footprint of its fresh milk by 8.4 per cent.

Chief executive Stuart Machin said: 'I talk a lot about the 'magic of M&S' - and a key part of this is our commitment to innovation.

'It's in our DNA and, along with our unique model of own brand, long term supplier partnerships, it's how we deliver the quality and trust our customers expect from us.'

Bosses reassured shoppers that they will not notice any differences in the taste of milk when eating their morning cereal.

Mr Machin's business is striving to become a 'net zero' business across all its operations and supply chain by 2040.

This would mean the 'Anything But Ordinary' retailer adds no more greenhouse gases to the Earth's atmosphere than the amount it takes out.

Government ministers have urged the food industry to make changes like this before but M&S said it is the first major retailer to launch this particular type of new feed.

Politicians have become increasingly concerned about how to reduce the carbon footprint of the agriculture sector.

Farming was the source of 11pc of total greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2020, according to an official report published in 2022.

Last year the farming minister, Mark Spencer, told MPs that it was critical that the meat sector became more environmentally friendly.

He said: 'So make sure that the cattle that we are breeding emit less methane, make sure that the feed systems by which we are feeding those animals emit less methane and grow their feed conversion rate more efficient.

'I think we can do that by genetics, we can do that by management techniques and we can do it with new products which are coming on the market.'