Greggs has reported sales increased by 7.2 per cent to £1.1bn in the first half of 2026, driven by new menu items and developing channels.

The food-to-go retailer’s like-for-like sales went up by 2.1 per cent, and franchised shop like-for-like sales increased by 1.3 per cent.

The brand’s operating profit increased by 22.9 per cent to £86.5m in the first half, and profit before tax was up by 19.7 per cent to £76m.

The food-to-go retailer’s share of visits went up by 0.3 percentage points to 8.7 per cent for the 12 months to June 2026.

According to the business, Greggs has continued to grow overall market shares and volumes, which is supported by estate growth and developing channels.

Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free

Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning

During the first half, Greggs introduced new menu items which were based on consumer trends, such as matcha lattes and an enhanced salads range.

Roisin Currie CBE, chief executive of Greggs said: “Greggs continued to outperform the market and has delivered an improved sales performance and strong cost control through the first half of 2026, resulting in profitable growth.

“We remain focused on opening shops in more catchments and introducing convenient ways for customers to pick up Greggs favourites, while broadening and innovating our menu in line with changing tastes and trends.

“We are making great progress in building the supply chain infrastructure that will support the significant growth opportunities that lie ahead. The Board’s expectations for the full-year outcome are unchanged.”

Over the first half of 2026, the business opened 34 new stores, which grew the estate to 2,773 shops on 27 June 2026.