UPDATE: 20TH MAY

Greggs, the fast food chain, is moving its self-serve food and drinks behind the counter as a way of tackling a surge in theft.

The change will be trialed at a handful of London stores which suffer high levels of anti-social behaviour.

Greggs said it does not expect to implement the change at all of its 2,600 bakeries in the UK and is more likely to focus on those that are worst affected.

The move comes amid an epidemic of shoplifting across the country. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the number of thefts recorded by retailers for the year to last September rose by 3.7 million to 20.4 million. The cost of shoplifting to businesses was more than £2.2bn, adding £133 to the average household’s annual shopping bill. 

Some retailers are being targeted by organised gangs who distract staff in order to steal from self-service shelves.

Andy Higginson, chair of sportswear and trainer retailer JD Sports and the BRC, recently said shoplifting is seen as a “way of life” for individuals who trade the goods they are stealing.

In a trading update Greggs has held annual guidance after reporting a 2.9% rise in like-for-like sales in the first 20 weeks of the year, with an improved performance in the last 11 weeks supported by better trading conditions.

Total sales in the period to 17 May were up 7.4% at £784m. Greggs also left its cost inflation outlook unchanged.