High street sausage roll giant Greggs has announced a boost in sales as it plans to shift its sandwiches behind the counter to combat thieves.

The steak bake seller this morning published its accounts for the first 20 weeks of 2025, revealing a 2.9% like-for-like jump in sales and 7.4% rise in total sales to £784million.

It comes after the BBC reported Greggs will move its self-serve food and drinks to behind the counter in a bid to stop thieves helping themselves to sandwiches and leaving without paying.

The bakery will initially trial the measure at a small number of stores "exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour".

The trading update issued this morning disclosed the firm now has 2,638 shops in operation, a net rise of 20, and remains confident of up to 150 net store openings across the whole year.

The update stated: "The improved LFL sales performance has been delivered in what remains a challenging market context, and during a period that compares with our strongest performance in 2024.

"Our investment programme is on track and there has been no change to the outlook for cost inflation, which we expect to be around 6% on a LFL basis.

"Our plans for managing the inflationary headwinds are progressing well and, whilst early in the financial year, the board's expectations for the full year outcome remain unchanged."

FTSE 100

The UK's flagship share index, the FTSE 100, was up 77 points at 8,724 shortly after opening this morning.

Brent crude oil futures were up 0.06% at $65.48 a barrel.

Companies reporting today

Caledonia Investments - Full Year Results

Cranswick - Full Year Results

Diploma - Half Year Results

Greggs* - Trading Statement

LondonMetric Property - Full Year Results

Smiths Group - Q3 Trading Statement

SSP - Half Year Results

Vodafone* - Full Year Results

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