Greggs will pilot removing self-serve fridges in some of its bakeries as it attempts to reduce theft in shoplifting hotspots across its store network.

The trial, which will take place in five of its stores, will place food items, including sandwiches, and bottled drinks behind the service counter. It is understood that Greggs outlets in Whitechapel, Peckham and Ilford are among those piloting the scheme.

The bakery chain, which has 2,600+ UK shops, has reported being repeatedly targeted by shoplifters, with some stores experiencing theft attempts every 20 minutes, according to The Sun.

“The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority. This is one of a number of initiatives we are trialling across a handful of shops which are exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour,” a spokesperson for Greggs said.

“Customers can expect to see our full range of great value and tasty Greggs favourites available from behind the counter,” the retailer added.

The move is the latest by the bakery chain to try and curb retail crime and protect staff – last year, it deployed body cameras in some of its busiest stores, while it has also explored installing high-security doors and panic alarm systems, with some stores reportedly introducing full-time security guards.

Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released in April showed that shoplifting offences in England and Wales rose +20% year-on-year, with more than half a million instances recorded in the 12months to December 2024.

“UK retailers continue to face significant losses from the shoplifting epidemic and must do everything possible to protect their customers,” Rolf Whiteman, Sales Director at Harrison Retail, commented. However he cautioned that “retailers should look to balance technology-driven anti-theft solutions with less invasive loss prevention solutions to maintain customer satisfaction and safeguard products.”