Our neighbours across the Channel don't really get it. British misgivings about foie gras are largely a cause for puzzlement. The pate, produced from the unnaturally bloated livers of ducks and geese, is a French institution - in 2004, of the 23,000 tonnes produced worldwide, 17,500 tonnes originated in France.

But here in the UK, even many diehard foodies balk at the idea of eating a delicacy which is produced by force-feeding birds a mixture of corn and fat through a tube, two or three times a day.

So it was only a matter of time before market logic prevailed and some enterprising retailer found a way of giving British consumers the foie gras experience without the guilt.

Enter Waitrose, Britain's most exclusive supermarket, which on Wednesday launches faux gras, "a new home-grown product that combines the smooth texture and rich flavours of traditional French foie gras with high standards of animal welfare". Waitrose, which stopped selling French foie gras six years ago because it was unhappy with the country's animal welfare standards, said its new pate is made in Kirkcudbright from free-range birds reared in Britain without force feeding.

It has the backing of the RSPCA, which says the faux gras - the label of which simply states "Not foie gras" - was created with welfare in mind.

The pate is made from around 50% birds' liver, which is blended with goose or duck fat to produce a creamy texture which mimics that of the traditional product. It has a darker colour than foie gras and the flavour is, naturally, slightly different owing to the alternative production methods.

If the notion of spreading swollen duck's livers on to your melba toast does not put you off, then substituting it for Waitrose's fat/liver spread is unlikely to either, and the supermarket is looking forward to brisk sales. With that in mind, it has trademarked the faux gras product name for its own use. David Stone, a buyer for the chain, said: "We think this is as near to authentic foie gras as we can get without the cruelty.

"Waitrose does not sell traditional foie gras because it just isn't consistent with our high standards of animal welfare. But now we are confident we have come up with the holy grail of the gastronomic world - a pate with the richness of traditional foie gras, but without any of the guilt."

Campaigners have long criticised the foie gras feeding process, which can injure the birds internally. In addition, towards the end of their lives they are kept in small pens with only their heads sticking out, making it easier to grab and restrain them. The force-feeding makes the birds' livers swell to between six and 10 times their normal size.

For many, it is a straightforward ethical issue. York City Council introduced a ban on foie gras earlier this year owing to animal welfare concerns, and the department store chain House of Fraser also announced it would drop the product. The former James Bond star Sir Roger Moore has backed calls by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) for a blanket ban on foie gras sales in the UK.

On the other hand, it has been promoted by some prominent figures, including the chef Gordon Ramsay.

RSPCA senior scientific officer Dr Marc Cooper said: "Some 63% of people in Britain believe foie gras should be banned, but those seeking an alternative dish can rest assured that this new Waitrose product has been produced with welfare in mind."

The other advantage for consumers is that faux gras costs considerably less than the real thing, by a large margin. Pots of goose and duck liver faux gras will be on sale at Waitrose from December 5 priced at £6.99 and £4.99, respectively.

Alas, Waitrose doesn't have any outlets in France at present, nor does it plan to send its product across the Channel.