In line with Greggs commitment to encourage healthy food-on-the-go choices, the chain is supporting BNF Health Eating Week 2016, which kicked off today and runs until Friday, and is looking at new healthy options.
Chief executive Roger Whiteside told the Press Association that Greggs is considering a gluten-free range, and more vegetarian choices. Additionally, Whiteside said the firm is seriously looking at introducing Mexican food, and possibly even sushi in the future.
The purpose of BNF Healthy Eating Week is to provide a dedicated week in the year where UK school children and workers can simultaneously focus on healthy eating and drinking, and physical activity, in order to encourage healthier living.
Every day this week, Greggs will feature a different focus on one of the five health challenges to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviours. The five challenges are structured into five themes: Breakfast, 5 A Day, Drink plenty, Get active and Try something new.
Given the Greggs Foundation’s long tradition of setting up and supporting Primary School Breakfast Clubs, the company is proud to champion the Breakfast Challenge and have been working in partnership with British Nutrition Foundation to explore and trial ways to educate children in our Breakfast Club programme on what great dietary habits look like.
Richard Hutton, Greggs Finance Director and Greggs Foundation Trustee, said, “Every week millions of customers shop at Greggs. We have a broad reach in the UK and are popular with people of all ages and from all walks of life. We know that if we can help those customers to make healthier choices, we can play a positive role in the health of the nation.
“We have made and continue to make significant changes to our range to improve the nutritional value of our food. Our ‘Balanced Choice’ range of products under 400 calories now account for 10% of sales and was acknowledged as having a significant impact on public health by the IGD panel who awarded us their Health and Wellbeing award in 2015. We are delighted to work with the British Nutrition Foundation and look forward to seeing the event come to life at the primary school Breakfast Clubs that we support and also in our own business.”
Roy Ballam, Managing Director and Head of Education at the British Nutrition Foundation, said, “Last year’s Healthy Eating Week was the most successful to date with over 7,500 nurseries, schools and academies taking part. Teachers rated the impact of the week highly for raising the profile of food and health, supporting pupil learning and promoting healthy eating.
Ballam continued, “Promoting health in the workplace has many benefits for employers and employees too, including increased productivity, reduced staff illness, and improved staff morale. This year we want to take our impact a stage further and have included the behaviour change techniques to help both adults and children make lasting changes in their behaviour that will impact their health into the future.”