THE boss of Greggs has revealed the surge in use of fat jabs could prompt the beloved bakery chain to start selling smaller portion sizes.
The rise of weight loss injections, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, is causing big food and drink companies to consider how consumers with suppressed appetites will behave differently.
Greggs could be prompted to reduce portion sizes[/caption]
Greggs Chief Executive Roisin Currie[/caption]
Eli Lilly & Co. Mounjaro brand tirzepatide medication[/caption]
It comes after The Sun’s undercover investigation found Boots granted a prescription to a 16-year-old, who is ineligible for the powerful drug.
Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, said that the rising use of weight loss drugs was “something on the horizon we are watching closely and understanding and learning about”.
She said that even though people on the fat jabs were eating less “they still need to eat, so we are considering offering even more healthier choices.
“We are considering smaller portions and we are talking about that and we are moving at pace.”
Ms Currie also noted that there was huge demand for more “protein” and chicken options, which could be linked to the weight loss jabs.
In response it has already added popcorn chicken, chicken goujons and said there were more chicken-based snacks on the way.
In recent years Greggs has been adding healthier options, such as porridge in the morning and sweet potato bhaji and rice salads.
Ms Currie said that this was part of Greggs being “democratic choice” for customers, so customers can choose one day to have a donut or a sausage, bean and cheese melt and the next a salad or flatbread.
Ms Currie said that the classic sausage roll was still Greggs’ number one biggest seller amid questions that it risked alienating its loyal traditional fan base with its new, fashionable menu items.
Ms Currie’s comments came as Greggs yesterday reported it had smashed record sales with £2 billion of revenues last year.
The bumper results led to the bakery chain to hand £20.5 million bonus to its staff as part of its historic commitment to hand 10 per cent of profits to staff.
It works out as an average £776 bonus for the 26,400 staff who qualify.
Greggs increased the price of its favourite baked goods, including sausage rolls, by 5p to £1.30 in January to reflect higher staffing costs caused by the higher minimum wage and national insurance contribution changes in the Budget.
Greggs said that it had no further plans to increase prices but Ms Currie said that it would watch inflation and the market carefully.
Shares in Greggs plunged by 11 per cent on Tuesday as investors reacted to sales growth slowing to 1.5 per cent in January.
Ms Currie blamed “challenging weather”, particularly Storm Eowyn which caused 250 of its shops to shut during red weather warnings.
Greggs opened 226 shops in the last year, taking its store estate to 2,618 as it plans to have “more than 3,000 UK shops” over the longer term. It is mainly focusing on opening sites in the south of the country, where there are not as many Greggs, and more travel hubs in railway stations.
Separately Ms Currie revealed Greggs was ramping up its fightback against shoplifters with staff now being able to take quick photographs of thieves and send them directly to local police forces.
She noted that offenders were now “being picked up” a few hours later.
