Compostable chocolate box

This is definitely one for chocoholics who want to hide the evidence. Marks & Spencer has launched the UK’s first compostable pack for chocolates. This means you can eat the chocolates and then throw the box on the compost heap, rather than in the bin.

This is all down to a Plantic tray – bio-plastic to you and me - and an outer-box made from Forest Stewardship Council certified cardboard, both of which are made from natural materials that can be put on the garden compost heap. Once put outside on the heap, the tray will take around three weeks to totally breakdown. The tray can also be put under water, where it will dissolve in a matter of minutes.

The new eco-chocs have come about following customer feedback from a trial in 2007. This means the entire range of M&S Swiss chocolates which have just gone on sale for Christmas are now compostable.

But before you rush out to make your eco-holic, chocoholic mark on society, there is still one small catch. The box is wrapped in plastic film.