Greggs announces trial of new self-service checkouts

The bakery chain is trialling Greggs Express, a self-service unit which allows customers to quickly grab their favourite treats on the go.

The first unit opened at Motor Fuel Group’s (MFG) petrol forecourt outside Glasgow Airport.

Tony Rowson, property director at Greggs, said: “Greggs Express is our latest concept being trialled to help us enhance our customer experience, focusing on convenience and speed.

“The units allows customers to grab their favourite bake or serve coffee themselves, ideal for customers on the move.

“Working with MFG, the trial will help us understand how this format can support our growth ambitions alongside our broader estate growth plans while continuing to deliver the great-tasting food and value our customers expect.”

Customer behaviour is being analysed, with a small number of other self-service units planned to be rolled out across MFG locations in the coming months.

Jamie Constable, head of operations – food service at MFG, said: “At MFG, we are committed to delivering the highest level of convenience and choice across our forecourt estate.

“The self-service format of Greggs Express is perfectly suited to the fast-paced, on-the-go needs of our customers, and we’re delighted to be Greggs partner of choice for this exciting trial.”

The development comes just weeks after Greggs announced they were locking away their items behind the counter at some stores in a trial to combat theft.

The trial is running across six stores which they said are exposed to ‘higher levels of anti-social behaviour’.

Greggs also recently introduced Bitesize Greggs, a smaller shop format designed for limited-space locations, with three currently open.