Greggs throw down the gauntlet to Pret A Manger in sandwich battle
High Street bakery chain Greggs has announced plans for a radical revamp of its stores in a bid to meet the growing competition presented by supermarkets and the likes of sandwich chain Pret A Manger.
This will see the pie and pasty specialist overhaul its stores to a ‘bakery food on the go’ format by offering in store seating and a new range of pizzas and cakes.
Opening hours will also be extended to cater for people seeking fresh sandwiches before lunch and those after a late afternoon snack.
The move comes as Greggs winds down a voracious programme of store openings to consolidate its existing position and focus upon locations close to offices and transport hubs.
Eighty per cent of sales are now drawn from sandwiches, savouries and drinks, up from just 10 per cent 40 years ago, prompting the firm to ditch its bread and roll lines.
Britain’s burgeoning food-on-the-go market is valued at £6bn but Greggs has been failing to capitalise on this bounty, registering a 2.9 per cent decline in like-for-like sales in the 26 weeks to 29 June.