Supermarkets have been urged to halt the trend of packaged vegetables after cashing in on the 'clean-eating' craze as the government and campaigners warn of an increase in plastic waste in our seas.

Marks and Spencer was forced to stop the production of its 'cauliflower steaks', after there was widespread backlash over the 'excessive' plastic packaging and the inflated price.

The shop was criticised on social media after a shocked customer pointed out that their £2.50 cauliflower ‘steaks’ are simply sliced cauliflowers sold in excessive packaging. She commented that at her grocery store, one can buy a cauliflower for a little over 60 pence. Marks and Spencer sells a whole cauliflower for a pound.

A spokesperson confirmed to the Telegraph that the packaged cauliflower will no longer be sold once current stock runs out because of complaints over packaging and price.

Dieters have also been told to prepare their own food instead of choosing the "lazy" pre-prepared vegetable option, especially as stores capitalise on January's 'clean eating' and 'veganuary' trends by expanding their packaged vetable lines.

In 2015, Tesco became the first UK supermarket to introduce plastic-packaged 'courgetti', or courgette 'spiralized' to look like spaghetti as a low carbohydrate alternative, after lifestyle bloggers such as Deliciously Ella popularised the trend.