What We Know About Greggs' Factory Closures, 740 Job Cuts

Greggs confirmed plans on Sept. 30, 2026, to close four of its UK manufacturing sites and cut about 740 jobs, a move the company says will save roughly £20 million across the 2028 and 2029 financial years, according to the BBC. The bakery chain, headquartered in Newcastle, said the changes will not affect its retail shops.

Which factories are closing?

The proposed closures cover manufacturing sites at North Lakes near Penrith in Cumbria; Pettigrews in Kelso, Scotland; Seaham in County Durham; and Enfield in Greater London, the BBC reported. Distribution operations will keep running from Enfield even after manufacturing there ends. Greggs' Treforest site in Wales will also see manufacturing wind down, though it too will continue as a distribution center. Separately, the range of products made at the Clydesmill Glasgow and Manchester locations will shrink, and production of tinned bread at Gosforth will stop, with some products instead sourced from specialist suppliers, per the BBC.

Why is Greggs making these cuts now?

Chief executive Roisin Currie said the company needs to "keep evolving alongside changing customer expectations," according to the BBC. Currie said the manufacturing and logistics network "remains a key strength of the business," and that the proposals are "intended to strengthen our manufacturing network, improve efficiency and ensure we remain well placed for the future while continuing to deliver the quality, value and service our customers expect."

The timing comes as Greggs reports steady growth rather than distress. Like-for-like sales across its managed stores rose 3.4%, and the company said positive trading and cost control point to a "modestly improved outcome" for 2026, the BBC reported.

What does the bakers' union say?

The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union pushed back on the framing. General secretary Sarah Woolley said the union was "deeply concerned" about the announcement and that its "immediate priority is our members, their jobs, their families and the communities that could be affected by these proposals," per the BBC.

"Against that backdrop, our members will understandably be asking why their jobs and livelihoods should now be put at risk in the name of efficiency and future progression." — Sarah Woolley, BFAWU general secretary

Woolley also noted that Greggs itself described the business as continuing to "perform strongly," pointing to a tension between the company's financial results and the scale of the proposed job cuts.

By the numbers

• 740 jobs expected to be cut across the affected manufacturing sites
• £20 million in projected savings across the 2028 and 2029 financial years
• £60 million estimated cost of the restructuring, including disruption and redundancy payments
• 3.4% like-for-like sales growth across Greggs' managed stores
• 33,000 total UK employees, most of them working in Greggs shops

All figures come from Greggs' statement as reported by the BBC.

What happens next for affected workers?

Greggs said a consultation with staff is expected to start soon and that "no final decisions" have been made yet, according to the BBC. The company said the changes would roll out over the next two and a half years, with some manufacturing processes relocating rather than disappearing outright. Kelso and district councillor Euan Robson called the news regarding the Pettigrews site a "bit of a shock," telling the BBC it would be a "sad day" if the factory closes given its long history in the Scottish Borders community.

What to watch

• Whether the formal staff consultation, once it begins, changes the scope of the four planned closures
• How many of the 740 roles are eliminated outright versus shifted to distribution work at Enfield and Treforest
• Whether BFAWU pursues formal talks or other action on behalf of affected members
• Greggs' next trading update for confirmation of the "modestly improved outcome" it projected for 2026
• Local economic impact statements from councils in Kelso, Penrith, Seaham and Enfield as the consultation proceeds

Greggs employs 33,000 people across the UK, the vast majority in its retail stores, which the company says will not be touched by the proposed changes, per the BBC.

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