McCain has developed what it claims is the first oven chip to score green across the board under the FSA's traffic light labelling system.

Its new Rustic Oven Chips are cut thicker than standard products and also have the skins left on.

This means less water is driven out of the chips during the production process so less oil takes its place, according to McCain.

The skins are also said to give the chips a more home made appearance and a fuller potato flavour.

Under the FSA's nutritional criteria for labelling, products must contain no more than 3g of fat, 1.5g of saturated fat, 5g of sugar and 0.3g of salt per 100g serving in order to qualify for a green light in each area.

While McCain's standard oven chips scores green for its salt, sugar and saturated fat content, it carries an amber light because its fat content is higher than 3g.

Its Home Fries product, meanwhile, scores amber for both its fat and salt content.

The company said Rustic was not specifically developed to be an 'all green' product but it was launched in response to growing consumer demand for more natural, healthier products.

However, it added, it would benefit from being able to carry four green lights. "Consumers can purchase Rustic guilt free, safe in the knowledge that it scores green on all counts of the traffic light scoring system," said a spokesman.

McCain was the first company to use both traffic light and GDA labelling across its entire portfolio to tie in with the launch of the 'It's All Good' campaign in September, which demonstrated the health credentials of its products.

It said the new labelling would show consumers that oven chips were not as unhealthy as they might imagine.

The chips will go on sale in all the major multiples from early next month, with an rsp of £1.69 for a 1kg bag.