Greggs rolls out ‘fortress’ stores to stop shoplifters helping themselves to treats

Greggs has been forced to roll out a new ‘fortress’ to stop shoplifters from raiding their goods.

The branch in Croydon, south London, has removed all customer shelves and self-service arrangements.

All products will be kept behind the tills, with staff members picking everything up for customers.

Stores in Peckham, Whitechapel, Epton Park, Birmingham and Wilford are also trialling the new system.

Customers in affected branches will now have to ask staff for cold drinks, sandwiches, and other chilled items previously kept in fridges, but Greggs confirmed its full range of products will still be available.

‘The safety of our colleagues and customers remains our number one priority,’ the company added in a statement.

The bakery chain announced the controversial change last year as the stores were ‘exposed to higher levels of anti-social behaviour’.

Adam Gosling, 39, was spared jail despite stealing £1,817 of food and drink from Greggs in Greenford, west London.

He targeted the chain 38 times between December 30 2025 and February 10.

The value of the thefts ranged from £12.30 to £100 per visit and, on some days, he targeted the shop multiple times

He got a four-month jail term suspended for a year.

Another man has been banned from setting foot into every Greggs in England and Wales after being caught stealing.

Patrick Verry, 33, was seen stuffing cold drinks bottles into a plastic bag – but this was just one of six offence in the Wood Green High Road branch in north London.

Shoplifting incidents rose 20% year-on-year to 2024, reaching the highest level since records began, according to official figures, and in 2025, soared another 5%.

Larger chain stores are also making moves to protect their products from theft.

Batteries, razor blades and perfumes are easy for gangs to sell on the black market, so supermarket bosses have been thinking up ways to make customers pay for ‘high-theft’ items before gaining access to them.

Poundland also gave staff bodycams and headsets last year after the company reported a significant increase in retail crime.

Head of loss prevention, Christina Jesty, commented: ‘Whether it’s store theft undermining all our colleagues’ hard work, or incidents of violence and abuse making our colleagues feel unsafe at work, something must change.

‘At Poundland we pride ourselves on being a value-led high street retailer, where protecting our colleagues goes hand in hand with protecting our prices. That is why we’re saying enough is enough and beginning a campaign to support our front-line teams.’

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