Greggs opens 30th Outlet Shop as part of pledge to…

Greggs opens 30th Outlet Shop as part of pledge to tackle UK food poverty

North East bakery giant Greggs has announced the opening of its 30th Outlet shop amid moves to tackle food poverty across the UK.

The Newcastle firm, which now has 2,200 shops and around 25,000 employees, first launched Greggs Outlet in 1972 to support socially- deprived areas and to redistribute unsold food items. Its latest opening is on Cundy Road in Newham, East London, marking strong progress in its commitment to open 50 Outlet shops by 2025.

It said the Outlet shops form an integral part of the Greggs Pledge to build stronger, healthier communities and support those most in need. By selling unsold, day-old food products at a reduced price, it said that families on a tight budget are able to spend less while still having access to quality food.

A share of the profits from each Outlet shop is also donated to The Greggs Foundation, the company’s dedicated charity which passes donations to local community organisations. Last year around £370,000 was raised for charity through the Outlet shops and chosen partner organisations are picked, focussing on tackling food poverty and providing food and support for people in communities near the shops.

Greggs is committed to reducing food waste and last year Outlet customers bought 1.1m sweet products, 1.1m sandwiches and 1m savoury products. In all, 880 tonnes of food was passed onto the Outlet shops meaning Greggs redistributed 28% of all unsold food, up from 12% in 2018.

The company has also partnered with food-saving app Too Good To Go, alongside local charity partners, in its efforts to cut food waste, giving customers the chance to buy ‘Magic Bags’ of food items at cut prices.

Roisin Currie, CEO at Greggs said: “As a leading food-on-the-go retailer in the UK, it’s important that we do our bit to put an end to food waste and help to tackle poverty, hunger and deprivation across all the communities we operate in. We have three channels for giving good food a second chance – we donate it to charities who can make use of it; we offer it to our customers at a discount via the Too Good To Go app; and we sell it at a discount through our Outlet Shops. The expansion of our Outlet shop estate is a core part of the Greggs Pledge and a testament to the commitment we make every day in supporting our customers’ health, our communities, and our planet, that we are on track to deliver against our 2025 targets.”

The outside of Greggs' 30th Outlet shop in London (Jonathan Perugia)

Tracy Lynch, Greggs Foundation manager said: “The funding we receive from Greggs Outlets directly contributes to our community hub programme, ensuring that profits generated by Greggs Outlets stay within the local community to help address issues of poverty and inequality. Money will be put towards one-year grants, which are typically used to cover salaries, overheads or community projects, that really make an impact in local communities close to Outlet shops

Further Outlet shops are in the pipeline as the firm works towards a target of 38 by 2023. The Outlet shops are predominantly based in the North and Midlands, including in Newcastle, Birmingham and Glasgow.

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