Greggs sales growth cools after July heatwave deters consumers

Greggs has revealed its sales rose in recent months but blamed unusually hot July weather and a tough consumer backdrop for a slowdown in growth.

The high street bakery chain, with 2,675 shops in the UK, has continued to expand its sprawling estate across the country.

It reported a 6.1% increase in sales over the third quarter of 2025, compared with the same period a year ago.

On a like-for-like basis, which strips out the impact of new shop openings, sales growth across company-managed shops slowed to 1.5% year on year.

It also marks a slowdown from the 2.6% like-for-like growth recorded over the first half of the year.

Unusually hot weather held back sales in July as shoppers made the most of the sunny conditions, but trading got on the front foot again in August and September, Greggs told investors.

The bakery chain highlighted the expansion of its menu, including high-protein options like egg pots and protein shakes, and seasonal items such as its pumpkin spice latte and toffee fudge muffin.

It has also continued to open new shops recently in Tesco and Sainsbury’s as part of a partnership with the supermarket chains, as well as relocating smaller shops to better locations.

Total openings on a net basis, which subtracts the number of closures, were 57 so far this year.

Greggs said it was now expecting 120 net new openings for the year as a whole, which would be slightly lower than its previous target.

The company told investors it was making “progress despite challenging market conditions”, indicating that consumer confidence has remained weak.

Published: 01/10/2025 by Radio NewsHub