First artisanal bakers invented the cronut, then the cromuffin, and now Marks & Spencer (M&S) has introduced the “croloaf” to the British high-street.

The croissant-loaf hybrid is made using all-butter egg pastry constructed like a rectangular slab of bread. The shape means the croloaf can be easily sliced and toasted, according to the retailer.

M&S said that unlike the traditional French croissant, the croloaf does not have to be eaten on the day it is made, and “tastes just as good a few days after” if it is toasted.

At 114 calories a slice, each serving contains a third less than the 340 calories in the average croissant. The croloaf is available in M&S for £2.40.

Marks & Spencer described the latest bakery hybrid dubbed the "croloaf" as the "perfect fusion of the French and British breakfast". (Marks and Spencer/PA Wire)

News of the loaf has sparked headlines, and debate among curious shoppers. One Twitter user hailed it as “genius” while another wrote “dreams can come true”.

Others weren't so convinced.

M&S said it was inspired by similar creations in artisan bakeries and the US, including the Beurrage bakery in Chicago.

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A spokeswoman for the M&S bakery said the loaf is aimed at people who enjoy the convenience of a slice of toast, but love the “delicious buttery taste of croissants.”

The launch of the croloaf comes after Dominique Ansel, the French-born pastry chef who invented the cronut in 2013, opened his first bakery in London earlier this year.