Boss says weight loss measures are hurting Greggs & more related News Here

The Greggs boss said there is “no doubt” the hugely popular appetite suppressant is driving people to seek “smaller portions”, which is hurting the company’s profits.

People are looking for “protein and fiber” and generally healthier options, Roisin Currie said, adding the bakery is introducing the product to tap into that market.

Griggs has previously said that people’s dietary changes have moved them away from their usual diet of hearty and high-fat pasties, cakes and pastries.

Currie’s comments come as the firm reported lower profits and a bleak forecast for the year ahead.

Curry said there is a “broad health trend” emerging with people demanding more protein.

It launched its Egg-Pot alongside its popular “Eggs at Greggs” advertising campaign after the bakery chain said in July it would target customers on weight-loss drugs by introducing smaller portions and protein-rich products.

Curry said the company had to “make sure we’ve got some snack products that customers are looking for if they’re on one of the GLP-1 drugs”.

Many companies have stated that consumer appetites are changing as a result of weight loss drugs.

Tesco said on Thursday that the trend towards healthier eating had contributed to an increase in sales of its fresh produce.

Chief executive Ken Murphy said the group was watching the rise in weight loss drugs as well as customer habits “very closely” and said the supermarket had a range of “GLP-1 friendly” products.

“Clearly our strongest source of growth this year has been fresh food, and it is far and away the best thing people can eat,” he said.

“We also have a range of high-protein products in several different categories that work very well in that context. So I think we’re well-positioned to respond to any trends in healthy eating.”

Clive Black, consumer analyst at Shore Capital, said the slight decline in the volume of groceries sold at Christmas compared to last year was “perhaps a clear indication of the impact of glucagon-peptide (GLP) drugs on the nation’s eating habits?”

The effects of “shrinkage inflation” are also responsible for smaller parts, as companies reduce the size of a product but keep the price the same to manage rising material costs.

Recently, junk food advertising was banned before 9pm across the UK, which the government said would help curb rising obesity rates.