A deal which sees food waste from a supermarket near Norwich turned into energy has saved more than 167 tonnes of emissions.

Bio Group – which has a network of facilities including a bio energy plant at brewer Adnams – struck the deal with the Norwich-based Waitrose.

Using anaerobic digestion the food waste is recycled into green gas. The company said that if it had not been recycled and put into landfill, it would have released the equivalent of 167 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – the equivalent weight of more than 6000 family cars.

Commercial manager at Bio Group, Adam Bensusan, said: 'We are delighted to be working with a national leading business such as Waitrose and this presentation is recognition of the difference they are making to our environment.'

'Shoppers will now know that any food waste from Waitrose, such as out-of-date fruit and vegetables, will be collected and brought to our Adnams Bio Energy plant.

'We will turn it into renewable energy that in turn will be used by shoppers who buy green gas to cook the food they have brought from Waitrose.'