Customers outraged at Marks and Spencer's cauliflower steak

Slice a cauliflower, wrap it well in plastic and triple its price. Photo / Rachel Clarke

We're all on a health kick in January, but this is just ridiculous.

Upmarket UK grocer Marks and Spencer has been spotted selling a plastic wrapped "cauliflower steak" in its vegan section for £2 ($3.75).

As eagle-eyed shopper Rachel Clarke pointed out, that's about three times the price of a normal cauliflower for cutting it up and whacking it on a plastic tray.

Not surprisingly, the effort has seen the company receive a healthy serve of scorn online.

"Marks and Spencer stores are selling sliced cauliflower as 'Cauliflower Steak' with lots of lovely plastic and charging £2 (normally £2.50). A cauliflower costs about 69p from a local veg shop," noted Clarke.

HungryCityHippy called it "a ridiculous, wasteful, over-packaged product".

Hey @marksandspencer @planamikebarry- this is a ridiculous, wasteful, over-packaged product and not very 'Plan A' at all.

If you want to sell marinade for cauli 'steak', sell it by the bottle & people will buy a whole cauliflower to use it on. https://t.co/XCncE05Qxg

— 🍴Hungry City Hippy (@HungryCityHippy) January 9, 2018

Nara Hodge agreed. "What is next? Individually wrapped raisins?"

Cauliflower steak generously wrapped in plastic packaging. Just when you think you have seen it all. What is next? Individually wrapped raisins? https://t.co/DhMhp8PUS1

— Nara Hodge (@Nara_Hodge) January 10, 2018

"Alex" had a few words for those who might buy the "steak".

"It's not a Cauliflower Steak, it's a Fool Detector!"

'It’s not a Cauliflower Steak, it’s a Fool Detector!' M https://t.co/MqzNrE5UkA

— Alex (@alexjball1952) January 10, 2018

The company initially defended the product, saying it was sold as an option for customers looking for a "quick and convenient vegetarian meal", but has since said it will stop selling it.

A spokeswoman for M&S told the BBC "we didn't get it right".