The UK’s annual consumption of sandwiches has the same environmental impact as around eight million cars, scientists have claimed.

The calculation takes into account the carbon footprint of 40 different sandwiches – homemade and ready-made – and looks at the packaging, how the ingredients are produced, and the food waste that is discarded.

University of Manchester researchers worked out the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq) for the 11.5 billion sandwiches eaten every year in the UK.

That generates on average 9.5 million tonnes of CO2 eq, “equivalent to the annual use of 8.6 million cars”, said Professor Adisa Azapagic.

The all-day breakfast sandwich – with egg, bacon and sausage – had the worst carbon footprint, estimated to generate 1,441 grams of CO2 eq.

That is the same as driving a car for 12 miles.

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