Greggs reports a 7.2% increase in total sales to £1.1bn for the first half of 2026, attributed to new store openings, successful menu adaptations (iced matcha lattes, salads, chicken rolls), and controlled price increases, despite UK heatwaves.
Greggs is testing the removal of open display cabinets in its London shops most affected by shoplifting, including branches in Croydon, Peckham, Whitechapel and Upton Park, with trials also in Birmingham and Wilford, Nottinghamshire. The bakery chain is replacing open cabinets with secure counters and piloting software to share incident data directly with police. The move follows official figures showing shoplifting offences in England and Wales topped 500,000 last year, a 20% year-on-year increase, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing the retail crime wave as disgraceful.
Staff are handing over sandwiches from behind a theft-proof counter as the high street fights backGreggs has axed self-service display cabinets in bakery stores that have been most severely hit by shoplifters.The move is the latest aimed at combating a problem plaguing the high street. Last year official figures revealed annual shoplifting offences in England and Wales had passed half a million offences for the first time, and since then many retailers have reported high levels of crime in their shops. Continue reading...
Aden Durde, the British defensive coach who won the Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys two months ago, remains unrecognized by tourists in central London. In his first major interview since the victory, the Southgate resident discusses the emotional aftermath of winning, his journey from NFL Europe player to NFL coach, and his philosophy on developing players. Durde, who launched the International Player Pathway programme in 2017, emphasises the importance of gratitude and mentorship while admitting he experienced moments of numbness after the win.
