Greggs has removed all customer shelves and self-service arrangements in its Croydon branch, according to multiple reports. Products are now kept behind the tills, with staff picking items for customers. The bakery chain has begun removing self-service fridges from stores in a crackdown on soaring shoplifting and staff attacks, according to a report by The Sun.
The new system is being trialled in branches in Peckham, Whitechapel, Upton Park, Birmingham, and Wilford, according to multiple reports. The pilot scheme may soon be expanded if successful, a source told The Sun. Annual shoplifting offences in the UK have spiralled to over 500,000, according to a report by The Guardian.
The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority.
A serial Greggs thief, Adam Gosling, stole almost £2,000 worth of food from the same location and dodged jail, according to a report by The Sun. Gosling stole from a Greggs branch in Greenford, west London, 38 times between December 30 2025 and February 10 2026, and was sentenced to four months, suspended for one year, in Uxbridge Magistrates' Court in February, according to a report by The Sun. 50, according to a report by The Sun.
Greggs confirmed its full range of products will still be available in affected branches, according to a report by The Sun. The safety of colleagues and customers remains Greggs' number one priority, the company said. Greggs and other food chains have previously hired bouncers at some locations to protect staff and customers from shoplifters, according to a report by The Sun.