M&S is launching three vertically farmed salads in stores, grown using robotics which require up to 96 per cent less water than traditionally grown salad crops.

Grown using vertical farming in a fully controlled environment, where temperature, light and water are carefully optimised. This approach not only enhances product quality and customer convenience as the salads require no washing before consumption but also supports more sustainable agriculture using 96 per cent less water and eliminating the need for pesticides. Fertiliser use is also reduced by around 97 per cent, and crops are grown without the use of pesticides.

Andrew Clappen, director of technical for M&S Food, said: “The future of food is about finding new and innovative methods which put less pressure on the environment while delivering the best in market flavour and quality. These Collection salads are vertically grown exclusively for M&S and bring new flavours to our customers with a dramatically reduced water consumption, supporting our Plan A goal to reach net-zero by 2040 across our supply chain.”

The vertical farming products sit alongside M&S’s Plan A for Farming, a five‑year commitment launched last year to help deliver a more sustainable future for food. Through the programme, M&S is also working with conventional farmers to adopt regenerative practices that improve soil health and boost biodiversity, including planting cover crops and herbal leys, reducing tillage, and establishing hedgerows and trees.

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