Marks and Spencer have been mocked on social media for selling a ‘cauliflower steak’.
The ‘steak’ which is just a sliced cauliflower is double the usual price of the vegetable.
The product is sold as part of the store’s vegetarian range and comes with a sachet of lemon and herb drizzle for £2.
Rachel Clarke wrote on Twtter: ‘Marks and Spencer stores are selling sliced cauliflower as ‘Cauliflower Steak’ with lots of lovely plastic and charging £2 (normally £2.50).
‘A cauliflower costs about 69p from a local veg shop.’
Scottish Rachel complained that Marks and Spencer were being wasteful with excess packaging as well as overcharging for the vegetable
She added: ‘Take cauliflower. Take knife. Chop Cauliflower. Wrap in lots of plastic and mark up the price. The end.’
The supermarket chain sell a regular cauliflower for £1, half the price they sell the sliced version for.
Other Twitter users were infuriated by the revelation of the overpriced vegetable.
One user tweeted: ‘Nearly £10 a kilo for cauliflower! You almost have to pat them on the back for getting away with that!’
Another said: ‘I imagine most vegetarians are able to slice their own cauliflower.’
Many were quick to criticise the excess packaging too.
The supermarket chain the product was for: ‘customers looking for a quick and convenient vegetarian meal option’
One said: ‘People who buy this must have more money than sense! What a wasteful item. The amount of plastic and processing involved in this is ridiculous. Like you say, buy a cauliflower, wash it and cut (and use all of it). Well done for flagging it. @marksandspencer should be ashamed.’
Speaking to LADbible, Rachel said: ‘I think it’s just frustrating for a number of reasons.
‘It might put people off trying a vegan or vegetarian diet if that’s on offer.
‘Also, I understand how important and great food innovation is, but surely directing customers to fresh vegetables would be more effective?’
Rachel said seeing products like this might ‘put people off going vegetarian’
A statement from Marks and Spencer given to Metro.co.uk said: ‘We have launched a ready-to-cook Cauliflower Steak with a herb dressing as part of our new Veggie range.
‘This is for customers looking for a quick and convenient vegetarian meal option.
‘The plastic tray protects the product and is widely recyclable. We continue to look at ways to optimise our food packaging and ensure it can be widely recycled.’
M&S are not the only shop coming under fire for over-priced chopped up vegetables in their vegetarian range.
Lauren Fairley pointed out on Twitter that Sainsbury’s sell a ‘mushroom mince’ which is just ‘chopped mushroom.’
Another social media user spotted Sainsburys selling ‘mushroom mince’ which is just chopped up mushroom