The company claimed fertiliser use and emissions had been greatly reduced by using precision agriculture, a process where a satellite pinpoints a field's fertiliser requirements, to yield its Eco-Grain.

Eco-Grain accounts for 20 per cent of the grain in each Sara Lee EarthGrain loaf, which is marketed under the banner of ‘The Plot to Save the Earth, One Field at a Time'.

But the Cornucopia Institute, a non-profit organisation based in Wisconsin, US, has attacked the campaign stating that Eco-Grain would only result in a 3 per cent reduction in fertiliser use.

Food and farm policy analyst at the institute, Charlotte Vallaeys, said: "It's a crass example of a corporation trying to capitalize on the valuable market cachet of organic, while intentionally misleading consumers - without making any meaningful commitment to protect the environment or produce safer and more nutritious food."

Sara Lee has since issued a statement saying: "We've been completely transparent about the environmental benefits...At the moment, there is 20 percent Eco-Grain in our bread. We are looking to increase that percentage as more farmers are identified to grow the crop. We feel that by commercializing innovative farming practices like precision farming, which has a number of benefits for both the consumer and environment, EarthGrains can help to lead the bread industry in the right direction."

Furthermore the company argued that claims of the grain being organic had never been made.

Sara Lee market the bread as 100 per cent natural, which does not mean it is organic.

According to Mintel's Global New Products Database, natural was the top 2009 label claim, appearing on 23 per cent of new product launches.