UK: Greggs to open 100 new stores

Seventy percent of new openings are based in car-accessed locations such as roadsides, petrol stations, retail parks and supermarkets.

Greggs will open around 100 new stores across the UK by the end of this year and creating 500 jobs.

The move comes after the after the high street bakery business enjoyed a rebound in sales.

Greggs said it has an opportunity to grow to 3,000 stores now that it has returned to profit following a difficult year due to the pandemic.

Greggs has already opened 48 new stores in the first half of this year, with the remaining branches due to open over the next six months.

Of the most recent shop openings, 70% were based in car-accessed locations such as roadsides, petrol stations, retail parks and supermarkets.

At the start of July, the chain had 2,115 locations and said it is targeting 100 net openings for the current year to continue its strong growth plans.

Greggs reported profits of £55.5m for six months to 3 July, compared with a £65.2m loss a year earlier.