DINERS across Scotland will soon be able to take home a doggy bag from their favourite restaurants as a scheme to reduce waste is rolled out across the country.

Zero Waste Scotland's Good to Go programme will allow customers to take home leftovers in re-sealable containers, ensuring they can enjoy all of the meal they paid for - even if they could not manage it all in one sitting.

The scheme has already been piloted in 16 restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Irvine and East Kilbride and saw a dramatic reduction in food waste from customers' plates - an average of 42 per cent per restaurant.

Zero Waste Scotland estimate it could save the equivalent of 800,000 full meals going in the bin every year if restaurants across the country sign up to the scheme.

Ylva Haglund from Zero Waste Scotland said: "I'm delighted that the scheme has been so successful.

"Our research showed that three-quarters of people wanted to see doggy bags offered in restaurants but half were too embarrassed to ask for them, and the fact that so many people during the pilot with leftover food used the Good to Go boxes shows that if you make it a normal thing to do, people will take food home.

"That's why we're now promoting this scheme across Scotland.

"We're seeing great strides in food waste prevention through the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, and in household food waste recycling through council collections, so it's great to see this issue being tackled in restaurants as well and engaging with people when eating out."

The doggy bags will be promoted on posters and table top adverts, as well as through restaurant staff informing diners about the scheme.

The boxes, which feature the 'Good to Go' brand, are made from sustainable board with a natural starch lining, making them fully compostable.

Figures from the pilot showed that more than 14000 containers were given out over the eight week trial and 92 per cent of diners surveyed said they ate the food they took home.

Eleanor Cunningham, from the Edinburgh Larder Bistro, one of the restaurants involved in the pilot, said the scheme has been a big hit with her customers.

She said: "As well as helping us to reduce the amount of food being thrown away, we've also had a great response from our customers to the 'Good to Go' trial, who were keen to take home what they couldn't eat for later.

"It's therefore great to see the scheme being offered across Scotland, and I would encourage other restaurants to sign up.

"Our business is based on a sustainable ethos and this campaign helped us to communicate that message and increase dialogue about food waste with our customers."

According to research by Zero Waste Scotland, around 50 per cent of people are too embarrassed to ask for a doggy bag.

The charity hopes that by making it more normal to ask for leftovers, people will become more willing to do so.

Restaurants are now being urged to sign up to the scheme, which will be introduced next Spring, while diners are also being encouraged to ask their favourite eateries to join.

Announcing the extension of the programme, environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: "Scotland produces some of the best food and drink to be found anywhere in the world, and it is a crying shame that one in six meals served in restaurants is currently being thrown away - a waste of food and a waste of money.

"Doggy bags are a great way to prevent waste and give diners better value for money, and I am absolutely delighted that Good to Go is now being rolled out across the country after the success of the pilot scheme.

"As we work towards achieving our zero waste ambitions and Scotland becoming a Good Food Nation, I encourage as many catering and food businesses as possible to sign up."