Greggs launches first eco-shop to trial sustainable in-store initiatives

Greggs, a leading UK food-on-the-go retailer, announces it has opened its first eco-shop, providing a test bed for future in-store sustainability initiatives.

Located in Northampton, the new eco-shop is a brand new and bespoke format where Greggs will test innovative solutions and initiatives aimed at delivering real progress in reducing the environmental impact of the company’s operations.

Successful new ideas and technologies will then be rolled out across the broader shop estate. The launch forms part of the Greggs Pledge, the company’s sustainability plan which sets out ten commitments to help make the world a better place by 2025.

The company’s sixth Greggs Pledge is “Building the shops of the future,” with a commitment to open the first eco-shop and have 250 of Greggs’ shops featuring elements from this “shop of the future” format by the end of 2022.

The eco-shop solutions being trialled this year include recyclable flooring, cistern-less and air assisted toilets, eco-ovens, heat pump air curtains and solar control glass. All initiatives are focused on waste management, water reduction or overall energy reduction.

Longer term, Greggs has set a target for a quarter of its shop estate to feature eco-shop elements and, with the proposed initiatives, will continue to reduce the carbon footprint across its shops every year, driving the company further towards its Net Zero carbon objective.

Tony Rowson, property director, at Greggs, said: “We’re delighted to have launched our first eco-shop, in line with our Greggs Pledge and Net Zero commitments. As a responsible business we have a duty to our customers and to our planet to change the world for the better.

“Our new format gives us a platform to develop and test solutions to minimise our impact on the environment by cutting our waste, energy and water usage. As we continue to trial new and innovative sustainability initiatives we look forward to making real progress in our goal to becoming a greener Greggs.”