Drinks brand Diageo has announced that it is trying an innovative measure to combat plastic waste from straws that goes several steps beyond simply switching to biodegradable ones.

Edible straws are being launched to complement its range of premixed alcoholic canned drinks. For example, a can of Pimm's and lemonade can be accompanied by a strawberry-flavoured straw, while there is a chocolate straw to go with Diageo's Baileys and iced coffee latte.

This is part of Diageo's plans to dramatically reduce its plastic usage and waste by 2025 - something more and more brands are striving for in light of revelations of the damage this is having on the wider planet.

Diageo stated: "Our commitment to phasing out the use of all plastic straws and stirrers, and the edible straws partnership, builds on almost a decade-long commitment to making our packaging more sustainable."