A council has launched a landmark legal case against the supermarket giant Sainsbury's for using too much packaging on a fresh joint of beef.

Lincolnshire council's trading standards claim "excessive" wrapping around the meat is damaging to the environment. The case is believed to be the first time a major supermarket has been prosecuted for failing to stay within acceptable levels of packaging.

Trading standards allege that Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Slow Matured Ultimate Beef Roasting Joint, retailing for £11.99/kg, is overpackaged.

Peter Heafield, head of trading standards at Lincolnshire council, said it is pursuing the case because overpackaging is harmful to the environment. The £11.99/kg luxury joint is vacuum-packed in plastic then further packaged inside a 20cm by 15cm Apet plastic tray. Covered with a plastic lid, it is 10cm tall and is wrapped around with a printed cardboard sleeve. A court hearing is due to take place on 13 October, an official at Lincoln magistrates court confirmed.

Sainsbury's said it was surprised by the comments, "which do not reflect the very positive outcome of our meeting with Lincolnshire's packaging team. In fact, we have been informed the council, in light of that meeting, is currently looking again at whether it will proceed".

Simeon Goldstein, editor of the trade magazine Packaging News, said he believed this to be the first packaging prosecution of its kind.