Greggs : switches to Fairtrade chocolate

Food to go retailer will use 100% Fair Trade chocolate within its products

12th August, 2021: Greggs, a leading UK food-on-the-go retailer, announces that it has committed to using 100% Fairtrade chocolate across its supply chain and in all chocolate products sold through its shops.

Since 2005, Greggs has sourced all coffee beans, for its coffee products, and fruit entirely from Fairtrade accredited suppliers, and over the years has added apple juice, orange juice, sugar sticks, sugar syrup, hot chocolate, black tea, mint tea and green tea to its Fairtrade commitments.

Today, the company is furthering its commitment and will source 100% of the chocolate used in its products and across its supply chain from Fairtrade accredited suppliers. Greggs chocolate products include Milk Chocolate Cookies, Caramel Shortbread and Chocolate Brownies.

Fairtrade works with more than 1.7 million farmers and workers in 1,707 producer organisations to make trade fair, setting social, economic and environmental standards for companies and farmers across all stages of the supply chain.

Fairtrade cocoa is an important conversion for cocoa farmers and serves a number of key benefits including:

1. Improved household income - As part of Fairtrade, farmers are guaranteed a minimum price for their crop and receive the Fairtrade Premium providing them an additional amount of money to spend on a benefit of their choice, from healthcare and electrical supply to bicycle ambulances and clean water.

2. Support to tackle climate change & care for the environment - Fairtrade helps farmers to adapt to climate change through technical advice from experts on the ground and environmentally friendly Fairtrade Standards. This allows farmers to commit to taking steps towards reducing greenhouse gases, avoiding deforestation, tackling soil erosion and reducing water wastage.

3. Women's empowerment - Fairtrade standards call for equal opportunities for women to participate, investments in women-focused projects, and programmes that train them to be leaders and entrepreneurs.

Greggs' commitment to sourcing 100% of its chocolate entirely from Fairtrade accredited suppliers forms part of the company's sustainability plan, the 'Greggs Pledge', supporting its commitment to sourcing sustainably and having a robust Responsible Sourcing Strategy in place by 2025. The Greggs Pledge, launched in February 2021, sets out the company's ten commitments to help make the world a better place by 2025. These commitments are aligned with the ambitions of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Greggs is and has always been committed to doing the right by its people, suppliers and the communities that it serves.

Malcolm Copland, Commercial Director at Greggs said:

'As a responsible business, we believe in doing the right thing and are incredibly proud to be a long-standing partner of Fairtrade. We are proud to have continued to increase our Fairtrade commitments over time, which include coffee beans, apple juice, orange juice, sugar sticks, sugar syrup, hot chocolate, black tea, mint tea, green tea, bananas and now chocolate.'

'It has been incredible to see the positive impact and difference we can make to producer communities. We look forward to building on this success further and doing our bit to help change the lives of the thousands of people involved.'

Michael Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation said:

'It's fantastic to see Greggs building on their already impressive Fairtrade portfolio by converting their chocolate couverture.'

'The move offers customers more options to do the right thing by farmers. Through choosing Fairtrade chocolate, cocoa producers can improve their household income, access training to adapt to climate change and participate in programmes that train women to be leaders and entrepreneurs.'

The full Greggs Pledge is available on the Greggs corporate website: click here

Read more about Fairtrade here