By the end of 2025, Greggs will generate 25% less food waste than in 2018, the company’s 2024 sustainability report highlights. The UK’s biggest baker will continue to work towards 100% of its surplus food going to people in need, the document details.

Its sustainability advances in 2024 also include lowering the cost of manufacturing waste to 0.2 % of sales and increasing the redistribution of unsold food to 45 %. By the end of the year, the target is to increase the unsold food redistribution to 47 %.

The bakery shared an ambitious list of other nine targets to achieve by the end of 2025, including:

• By the end of 2025: Open 1,000 school Breakfast Clubs, providing 70,000 meals each school day
  • Progress in 2024: 1,015 Breakfast Clubs fed more than 75,000 children every school day
  • 2025 target: Maintain support for the schools in the Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club program ahead of the transition to universal provision announced by the UK Government
    
    
• By the end of 2025: Have 50 outlet shops providing affordable food in areas of social deprivation
  • Progress in 2024: 38 outlet shops
  • 2025 target: 45 outlets
    
    
• By the end of 2025: 30% of the items on Greggs’ shelves will be healthier choices
  • Progress in 2024: Maintained over 30% of its range as ‘Healthier Choice’ products.
  • 2025 target: maintaining 30% of its offerings in the ‘Healthier Choice’ category
    
    
• By the end of 2025: Progress towards Net Zero target by using 100% renewable energy across all operations
  • Progress in 2024: 60% of the gas used across operations is from renewable sources. The Enfield distribution depot was converted to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a diesel replacement, meaning two million miles are covered using a renewable fuel option. Greggs developed its policy to deal with non-renewable electricity usage in serviced locations.
  • 2025 target: Increase HVO use across its entire fleet to 30% of fuel requirement
    
    
• By the end of 2025: 25% of shops will feature elements from Greggs’ Eco-Shop ‘shop of the future’ design
  • Progress in 2024: Over 700 shops (27% of estate) feature Eco-Shop elements
  • 2025 target: Continue to roll out existing Eco-Shop elements across 30% of the estate
    
    
• By the end of 2025: Use 25% less packaging, by weight, than in 2019 and any remaining
  packaging will be made from material that is widely recycled
  • Progress in 2024: All but two (98.3%) items of its own brand packaging can be more easily recycled. Greggs reduced the amount of packaging used within the Supply Chain by moving to bulk supply or reusable containers, where options were available.
  • 2025 target: Move remaining own brand packaging to be ‘easily recyclable’.

• By the end of 2025: Greggs’ workforce will reflect the communities served
  • Progress in 2024: Development programs are aimed at supporting potential future management colleagues, and are representative of the ethnic diversity in Greggs’ regional talent pools.
  • 2025 target: Complete National Equality Standard (NES) reassessment and maintain this accreditation.

• By the end of 2025: Launch a Responsible Sourcing Strategy and report annually on progress towards its targets
  • Progress in 2024: 100% declared soy in its own operations is certified as sustainable. “We are working with meat, egg and dairy suppliers to move all soy in animal feed to be from sustainable sources by the end of 2025. We are using wheat from a regenerative farmed source in our wholemeal bread production,” Greggs highlights.
  • 2025 target: Continue to work with meat, egg and dairy suppliers to move 100% of soy in animal feed to sustainable sources

• By the end of 2025: Secure and maintain Tier 1 in the BBFAW Animal Welfare standard
  • Progress in 2024: Greggs improved its chicken welfare standards, with 86.6% reared at a stocking density of less than or equal to 30kg/sqm. The company achieved a top-four ranking among 150 of the world’s largest food companies in the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW).
  • 2025 target: Ensure stocking densities of a maximum of 30kg/sqm for 100% of its chicken sourcing.

Roisin Currie, Chief Executive at Greggs commented: “We’re extremely proud of The Greggs Pledge, which focuses our business on making a meaningful impact where it matters most. We’re delighted to be on track with the majority of our targets and remain committed to evolving our initiatives based on new insights and stakeholder priorities.

Looking ahead, we are now shaping the next phase of The Greggs Pledge to drive even greater impact. We want to build on the progress we have made and focus on redefining our goals for the next five years. Our full roadmap will be outlined in our next Sustainability Report, set for release in 2026.”

Photo: Greggs social media