Major supermarket chains in the UK have made a voluntary promise to stop adding trans-fats to their own-brand food products by the end of this year.

It is hoped the commitment, made by British Retail Consortium (BRC) members Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Asda, Boots and Co-Op, will lead to reduced rates of heart disease and obesity in the UK.

Trans-fats, which have no nutritional benefit, are solidified oils that are often added to foods such as bakery and dairy products to improve their shelf life and texture.

However, research shows that consumption of these fats can raise cholesterol levels and significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Announcing the decision, Andrew Opie, director of food policy at the BRC, said: "By acting voluntarily, BRC members are showing responsible retailers can cut through to achieve major change faster than any legislation.

"This is the latest in a string of healthy food initiatives and shows BRC members, responding to customer concerns, are willingly delivering a scale and pace of change way beyond anything retailers or manufacturers are doing anywhere else in Europe."

The move has been welcomed by a number of health organisations and charities, including the British Heart Foundation.