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Greggs plc

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Industry Grocery Stores
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FY2011 Annual Report · Greggs plc
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Annual Report 
& Accounts

2011

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

1

Sales up 5.8% to £701m

Pre-tax profit* up 1.1% to £53.1m

Diluted earnings per share* up 4.0% to 38.8 pence

84 net new shops opened

183 shop refurbishments completed

Over 800 new retail jobs created

£21m investment in two new bakeries in Newcastle and  
Cumbria, completed on time and within budget

Total dividend per share up 6.0% to 19.3 pence 

27th consecutive year of dividend growth

*before exceptional items: 2011 pre-tax credit £7.4m (2010: nil)

Annual report & accounts 2011

Directors’ report and business review
4
  Chairman’s statement 
7
  Chief Executive’s report 
11
  Financial Review 
17
  Social Responsibility 
26
  Principal risks and uncertainties 
30
  Board of Directors 
32 
  Governance 
36
  Audit Committee Report 
38
  Additional information 
Directors’ Remuneration Report 
40
Statement of Directors’ responsibilities  52
53
Independent auditor’s report 

57

Accounts 
  Consolidated income statement 
  Consolidated statement of  
57
  comprehensive income 
58
  Balance sheets 
59
  Statements of changes in equity 
  Statements of cashflows 
61
  Notes to the consolidated accounts  63

 
2

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Our vision
To be the number 1 for  
sandwiches and savouries  
from a united team who are  
passionate about being the 
best in bakery. 

Our values
We will be enthusiastic and  
supportive in all that we do,  
open, honest and appreciative, 
treating everyone with fairness, 
consideration and respect.

The home of fresh baking

Greggs is the UK’s leading bakery retailer specialising 
in freshly made bakery food. With over 1,570 shops 
across the UK served by ten regional bakeries, 
our 20,000 employees are proud to serve 6 million 
customers each week. What sets us apart is our 
passion for baking and our drive for quality and  
value. We are a growing business and are delivering  
our accelerated shop opening programme that will  
see Greggs reaching more than 2,000 shops 
across the UK in the coming years.

We made  
hot sandwiches 
available in over  
700 shops;
we sold over  
2 million in 2011.

4

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ report  
and business review 

The directors have pleasure in presenting their annual report and the audited accounts for the 52 
weeks ended 31 December 2011. The comparative period is the 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011.

The directors’ report and business review is set out on pages 4 to 39.

Chairman’s statement

“Greggs performed well in 2011 in what was a very challenging 
time for the economy and the consumer. We have continued to 
make good progress towards our strategic objectives with a record 
number of shop openings across the UK, and investment in two 
major new bakeries in Newcastle and Cumbria.”

Our financial performance

We have delivered another 
strong set of results. Continued 
sales growth combined with cost 
efficiency savings, offsetting some 
of the major inflationary pressures 
facing the business, helped to 
deliver pre-tax profits of £53.1 
million before exceptional items 
(2010: £52.5 million) on sales of 
£701 million (2010: £662 million).

The Board recommends an 
increased final dividend of 13.5 
pence per share, making a total 
dividend for the year of 19.3 pence 
(2010: 18.2 pence). This is an 
increase of 6.0 per cent, reflecting 
the growth of diluted earnings per 
share before exceptional items. 
This is Greggs’ 27th consecutive 
year of increased dividends since 
the company floated on the stock 
market in 1984.

The Board remains committed to 
pursuing a progressive dividend 
policy that pays due regard to 
the growth of earnings per share 
over the medium term, the cash-
generative nature of our growing 
business and our continuing 
determination to deliver value to 
our shareholders.

Our values

Our values lie at the very heart of 
what we do and in our relationships 
with our staff, customers and 
shareholders. In such difficult 
economic times customers expect 
us to continue providing great 
tasting products at great value 
prices; but they also expect us to 
do even more to help those who 
are most disadvantaged within 
the community.

In 2011 we raised record amounts 
of money for a wide variety of 

causes, including an amazing £1 
million for the BBC Children in 
Need appeal.

We received the lifetime 
achievement award at the 
Sandwich Industry Awards and 
were also named Corporate 
Foundation of the Year at the 
Business Charity Awards, 
demonstrating that our values are 
recognised throughout the industry.

I would like to pay tribute to the 
tremendous efforts of our 20,000 
people over the past year. Their 
continued passion and dedication 
have been rewarded through our 
profit sharing scheme, in which 
10 per cent of profits are shared 
among our staff.

The Board

Ian Durant joined us as an 
independent non-executive director 
on 5 October 2011. 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

5

“ We have delivered  
  another strong set 
  of results.”

Ian is Chairman of Capital and 
Counties Properties PLC and a 
non-executive director of Greene 
King plc and Home Retail Group 
plc. Ian brings extensive financial 
and commercial experience, 
particularly in the property field. 

Bob Bennett, a non-executive 
director since 2003, will retire from 
the Board at our AGM in May. Bob 
was, until recently, Chairman of the 
Audit Committee and our Senior 
Independent Director. We are 
indebted to him for his service to 
Greggs and wish him a very long 
and happy retirement. 

In view of Bob’s impending 
retirement we made a number of 
changes to Board responsibilities 
at the beginning of 2012, with 
Julie Baddeley succeeding Bob 
as Senior Independent Director, 
Ian Durant taking his place as 
Chairman of the Audit Committee 

and Iain Ferguson becoming 
Chairman of the Remuneration 
Committee in place of Julie 
Baddeley. 

Prospects

While we expect 2012 to be 
another year of significant 
challenge for UK consumers we 
believe that we are well placed 
to deliver further progress. In the 
current year we will continue our 
accelerated expansion with the 
opening of around 90 net new 
shops and further development of 
new channels to market. This, and 
our determination to deliver further 
cost savings, reinforces our belief 
that the business continues to offer 
substantial opportunities for long 
term, profitable growth.  

Derek Netherton 
Chairman 
14 March 2012

 
In 2011, we rolled  
out fresh bean to cup 
Fairtrade coffee to 
all our shops.

We sold over 17 
million cups, an 
increase of 15%  
from 2010.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

7

Chief Executive’s report

“I am pleased to report a year of progress against the background 
of continuing pressure on consumers’ disposable incomes and 
substantial increases in energy and ingredient costs. We have grown 
sales and made Greggs even more accessible to new customers by 
opening a record number of new shops across the UK. Increased 
investment in promotional activity has reinforced our long-established 
reputation for great value, while our drive to improve efficiency 
throughout the business has contributed to the delivery of another 
year of profitable growth.”

“ We have grown  
  sales and made Greggs 
  even more accessible 
  to new customers.”

Market background:  
consumers under pressure

Consumers’ disposable income 
remained under significant pressure 
throughout 2011, as they were hit 
by the impact of rising costs for 
fuel, domestic energy and food. 
The number of people out of 
work also continued to grow, with 
total unemployment reaching its 
highest level since 1994, and youth 
unemployment rising to a record 
of more than one million. Greggs 
naturally experienced the effects 
of reduced footfall on high streets 
resulting from these tough times 
for the economy as a whole. Some 
brighter spots included a short-
term boost in sentiment around 
the royal wedding in April, and very 
strong demand over the Christmas 
period. This benefited from softer 

comparatives with the period of 
heavy snow in 2010, as well as the 
more favourable trading pattern 
of Christmas and New Year’s Day 
falling on Sundays.

Financial performance:  
in line with expectations

In this challenging trading 
environment, we achieved record 
sales of £701 million, a rise of 
5.8 per cent. Like-for-like sales 
increased by 1.4 per cent, slightly 
ahead of our expectations of 
marginally positive like-for-like 
growth over the year as a whole. 
Operating profit before exceptional 
items was up 1.2 per cent at £53.0 
million and pre-tax profit before 
exceptional items rose 1.1 per 
cent to £53.1 million. Our Finance 
Director, Richard Hutton, comments 
on our financial performance in 

more detail in the Financial Review 
on pages 11 and 12.

Our products:  
listening to our customers

Throughout 2011 we recognised that 
customers were seeking out even 
greater value and we responded 
to this with substantial increases 
in our promotional investment, 
particularly our popular Meal Deals. 
A very strong performance in our 
savouries category during the year 
further underlined consumers’ focus 
on outstanding value, with these 
products offering a lower average 
selling price compared  
to sandwiches.

The breakfast market continued 
to grow and we performed 
strongly in this area, aided by our 
breakfast Meal Deal. Hot drinks 
also performed very well, following 

8

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Chief Executive’s report - continued

completion of the roll-out to all our 
shops of coffee machines serving 
freshly ground Fairtrade coffee; we 
sold a record 17.3 million cups of 
coffee during the year, an increase 
of 15 per cent.

Consumers welcome innovation 
and we launched 180 new products 
during the year, an increase of 
25 per cent. Notable successes 
included our range of Superstar 
Doughnuts, introduced in October, 
of which we sold more than 
4.8 million by the year end. Hot 
sandwiches also showed good 
growth as we continued our roll-out 
of the range, which is now available 
in over 700 shops.

The quality of our products was 
recognised by our success in a 
number of awards during the year. 
This included the British Sandwich 
Association’s prestigious “British 
Sandwich Industry Award”.

Our shops: accelerated  
expansion and new formats

We set new records for both shop 
openings and shop refurbishments 
in 2011. In total we opened 98 new 
shops, a net addition of 84 shops 
after 14 closures, and we have been 
very pleased with the performance 
of these new outlets. Our new 
shop in the Westfield Stratford City 
development in London broke all 
our records for a first day of trading, 
and is already our second highest 
turnover shop in the country.

We have continued to move into 
a wider range of locations where 
our customers are at work, on the 
move, or at leisure, with one in three 
of our new shops opening away 
from traditional high street locations. 
This included nine openings in retail 
parks and six in industrial parks, 
together with two new shops at 
petrol filling stations and a kiosk on 
the concourse of Newcastle railway 
station. In October we announced 

our move into the motorway 
services market through a trial with 
Moto Hospitality Limited. The first 
franchised Greggs shop opened 
at Lymm services in Cheshire in 
January 2012 and is performing 
well. We will be exploring further 
opportunities to open shops in 
partnership with Moto in the  
year ahead.

We completed 183 shop 
refurbishments during the year, 
making the Greggs shopping 
experience even more enjoyable 
for our customers by increasing 
space for browsing, making more 
products available for self-selection 
and providing seating wherever 
possible. As part of our continuing 
drive to improve customer service 
we completed the installation of 
card payment facilities in all our 
shops during the first half and 
introduced contactless payment 
facilities in the second half.

We believe that there are potentially 
three types of shop format 
appropriate for Greggs: ’Food on 
the go’, ’Local bakery’ and ’Coffee 
shop’. The ’Food on the go’ and 
’Local bakery’ formats already 
exist within Greggs but we believe 
that there is the potential for a new 
coffee shop format. Therefore, 
in September we opened a new 
coffee shop concept, “Greggs 
moment”, in Newcastle upon Tyne. 
“Greggs moment” offers a range 
of specially developed bakery 
food to complement our freshly 
ground coffees and broad selection 
of teas, served in an attractive 
contemporary environment with 
seating on two floors. It has been 
well received by our customers 
and we will be opening three more 
“Greggs moment” outlets this 
year as we continue to pursue 
the opportunity presented by the 
growing coffee shop market.

We passed a significant milestone 

with the opening of our 1,500th 
shop in York in March 2011, and 
had a total of 1,571 shops at the 
year end. We plan to continue our 
investment in shop expansion  
and refurbishments in the current 
year, adding around 90 new shops, 
net of closures, by the end of  
2012, and refitting a further  
100 - 120 shops.

New channels to market

During the year we diversified into 
wholesaling as part of our strategy 
to access new markets. We believe 
that Greggs has the potential to 
expand significantly into the ’take 
home’ food market. The successful 
trial of Greggs branded four-pack 
frozen sausage rolls was extended 
to all 750 Iceland stores nationwide 
in October, with strong results, 
and we are now working closely 
with Iceland to add more Greggs 
products to their range. Importantly, 
we have seen no cannibalisation of 
sales from existing Greggs shops 
and have received very positive 
comments from Greggs customers.

Our supply chain:  
investing for future growth

At Greggs we are both a baker and 
a retailer. This gives us a distinct 
point of difference from most of our 
competitors and a deep passion 
for our products and the quality of 
their ingredients. The use of our 
own unique recipes, and our bakery 
expertise, enables us to make great 
tasting food that our customers 
love, all at great value prices.

During 2011 we completed two 
major investments in our supply 
chain, with the commissioning 
in September of new bakeries in 
Newcastle upon Tyne and Penrith. 
Our £16.5 million Gosforth Park 
bakery in Newcastle replaces an 
older bakery in the city. Our £4.5 
million Penrith bakery is a specialist 
confectionery facility supplying 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

9

in 2011 is not expected to continue 
at the same level, and sentiment 
should benefit from major national 
events including the Diamond 
Jubilee celebrations, the London 
Olympics and the Euro 2012 
football championship. We are 
planning to make the most of 
these opportunities while focusing 
throughout the year on maximising 
our customer appeal through 
continued product innovation and 
promotional activity.

As we expected, there has been a 
slow start to 2012. The pattern of 
Christmas and New Year holiday 
trading that contributed to the 
strength of our sales at the close  
of 2011 reversed in the first week of 
January, and two weeks of severe 
weather, with snow and ice in many 
parts of the country, also had an 
adverse impact on sales. Total sales 
for the first ten weeks of the current 
financial year to 10 March 2012 are 
up 3.3 per cent, with like-for-like 
sales down by 1.8 per cent. It is  
too early to tell if this slower start is 
a sign of a more prolonged trend in 
sales, however we have managed 
costs well through this period and 
our profit performance remains  
on target. 

Total sales this year will benefit from 
the opening of around 90 net new 
shops, creating a further 700 - 800 
new retail jobs and making Greggs 
even more accessible to customers 
across the UK. We will also continue 
to drive our programmes of 
efficiency improvements throughout 
the business. Our strategy for long 
term growth is well on track, and I 
believe that 2012 will be a year of 
further progress for Greggs.

Kennedy McMeikan 
Chief Executive  
14 March 2012

shops throughout the country. 
Following the opening of these  
new facilities we closed our older 
bakery in Penrith as part of the 
strategic repositioning of our supply 
chain capability.

Both new bakeries were completed 
on time and within budget, and 
without any interruption in the 
supply chain to our customers: 
a major achievement that is a 
testament to the expertise of our 
bakery teams. Operationally, both 
bakeries are performing very 
well and delivering the expected 
improvements in efficiency as well 
as providing us with increased 
capacity to support our continued 
shop expansion.

Across our supply chain as a whole, 
our investment in more efficient 
processes has delivered significant 
savings and we now expect to 
achieve our targeted £10 million of 
annual savings two years ahead of 
schedule in 2012.

In 2012 we will not be making the 
same level of investments in our 
supply chain that have been a 
feature of the last two years. We will 
complete a £2.5 million upgrade of 
our savoury manufacturing plant in 
Newcastle, which will increase its 
capacity by 10 per cent. In addition 
we will also invest in a “micro” 
bakery in Norwich to support our 
expansion in East Anglia, an area 
outside the reach of our main 
bakeries.

Social responsibility:  
doing the right thing

At Greggs we have always prided 
ourselves on “doing the right 
thing”, whether for our people, our 
customers, local communities or  
the environment.

One great example of this has 
been the fantastic work done by 
so many to support children in 
some of the most disadvantaged 

communities. By the end of the 
year Greggs Breakfast Clubs were 
operating in 180 schools across the 
UK, providing 8,000 children with 
a free, healthy breakfast every day. 
Fourteen clubs are now operating 
through partner organisations 
and I am delighted that more 
companies are becoming involved 
in supporting Breakfast Clubs.  
We are enormously grateful to 
these organisations for having the 
vision and compassion to tackle 
child poverty right here in the UK. 
We were particularly pleased to be 
able to open five new clubs during 
the second half in areas of London, 
Birmingham, Manchester and 
Liverpool affected by the summer 
riots. I would also like to pay tribute 
to the head teachers, their staff and 
the volunteers who make these 
clubs work so brilliantly.

Our people: our greatest strength

We remain indebted to our 
people for their incredible energy, 
enthusiasm and commitment to 
delivering products and service  
that will delight our customers.  
I am particularly pleased that we 
were able to create more than 800 
new retail jobs through our shop 
opening programme during the 
year, lifting the total number of 
Greggs employees above 20,000 
for the first time. We continue to 
share 10 per cent of our profits with 
our people and I am delighted that 
a record £5.9 million will be shared 
among our staff in respect of our 
performance in 2011.

Outlook for 2012

This will undoubtedly be another 
challenging year for UK consumers, 
with disposable incomes expected 
to continue contracting well into 
the second half. However, the 
severe inflationary pressure on 
fuel, domestic energy and food 
costs that the consumer suffered 

We sold 
over 800,000 
porridge pots 
in 2011, as part of  
our new, wider 
breakfast range.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

11

Financial review

“In 2011 we invested to create the capacity for future growth whilst 
accelerating the number of shop openings and refurbishments as 
we continue to expand and modernise our estate. Higher increases 
than we had planned for energy and ingredient costs were mitigated 
by the accelerated delivery of cost savings, and the business has 
remained cash generative and financially strong.”

“ The business has 
  remained cash generative and
  financially strong.”

Sales

Total Group sales for the 52 weeks 
ended 31 December were £701 
million (2010: £662 million), an 
increase of 5.8 per cent. Like-for-
like sales grew by 1.4 per cent over 
the year as a whole, comprising 
an increase of 0.4 per cent in the 
first half, 0.8 per cent in the third 
quarter and 3.8 per cent in the 
final quarter. The improvement 
in performance towards the end 
of the year reflected the benefit 
of more favourable weather in 
late November and December, 
compared with a period severely 
disrupted by snow in 2010, and 
an advantageous pattern of 
Christmas and New Year trading. 

Profit before exceptional items

Operating profit before exceptional 
items was £53.0 million (2010: 
£52.4 million), an increase of 1.2 
per cent. The negative impact on 
profit caused by the additional 

public holiday in 2011 for the royal 
wedding was in the order of £1 
million, reflecting our reduced 
trading hours and additional costs 
of operation on the day. 

After net finance income of £0.1 
million (2010: £0.2 million) pre-tax 
profit before exceptional items was 
£53.1 million (2010: £52.5 million), 
an increase of 1.1 per cent.

Operating margin

Operating margin before 
exceptional items was 7.6 per cent 
(2010: 7.9 per cent). Approximately 
half of this reduction is directly 
attributable to the costs of the 
additional public holiday in 2011, 
with the balance principally 
reflecting a 50 per cent increase 
in our investment in promotional 
activity as we responded to the 
demands of a significantly more 
value-driven market place and 
extended our national Meal Deals. 

We bore substantial cost increases 
in commodity prices during the 
year, which affected most of 
our key ingredients as well as 
our energy-related production, 
distribution and retailing costs. This 
pressure was partly mitigated by 
our continuing drive to identify and 
unlock cost savings of almost £5 
million throughout the business. 
These were generated by further 
improvements in the effectiveness 
of our purchasing, and continued 
overhead savings following the 
centralisation of our business. 
Our supply chain cost reduction 
programme is ahead of plan, and 
is now delivering annual savings 
of £6.8 million compared with the 
position two years ago. We now 
expect to achieve our original target 
of £10 million of annual savings in 
2012, two years ahead of schedule, 
and to increase the total annual 
saving to £15 million by 2014. 

12

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Financial review - continued

Our diversification into 
wholesaling, begun in 2011, 
creates a new growth opportunity 
for the future. Our initial success 
with Iceland has demonstrated the 
potential to sell Greggs products 
into the take-home market and 
foodservice sector with no obvious 
cannibalisation of our own  
shops’ sales.

Exceptional items

There was a net exceptional credit 
in 2011 of £7.4 million (2010: nil). 
As already disclosed in the interim 
report, this principally comprised 
an exceptional pension credit 
of £9.6 million arising from the 
decision that the revaluation 
and indexation of occupational 
pensions should in future be based 
on the Consumer Price Index rather 
than the Retail Price Index. This 
was partly offset by a provision 
of £2.2 million for property and 
restructuring costs arising from the 
closure of our old Newcastle and 
Penrith bakeries as we relocated to 
new sites. 

Pre-tax profit including  
exceptional items was £60.5  
million (2010: £52.5 million),  
an increase of 15.2 per cent. 

Taxation

The Group’s effective tax rate for 
the year was 26.4 per cent (2010: 
27.8 per cent), a reduction of 
1.4 percentage points, primarily 
reflecting the lowering of the 
headline rate of corporation tax  
from 28 per cent to 26 per cent  
from April 2011.

Earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share before 
exceptional items were 38.8 pence 
(2010: 37.3 pence), an increase 
of 4.0 per cent, with the increase 
at the pre-tax level boosted by 
the lower tax charge and a lower 
average number of shares in issue 

following our buyback programme 
in 2010. Basic earnings per share 
before exceptional items were 
39.5 pence (2010: 37.8 pence). 
Earnings per share including 
exceptional items were 44.3 pence 
diluted (2010: 37.3 pence)  
and 45.0 pence basic  
(2010: 37.8 pence). 

Dividends

The Board recommends an 
increased final dividend of 13.5 
pence per share (2010: 12.7 
pence). Together with the interim 
dividend of 5.8 pence (2010: 
5.5 pence), paid in October 
2011, this makes a total for the 
year of 19.3 pence (2010: 18.2 
pence). This is an increase of 6.0 
per cent, maintaining cover by 
diluted earnings per share before 
exceptional items of 2.0 times.

Subject to the approval of 
shareholders at the Annual 
General Meeting, the final dividend 
will be paid on 25 May 2012 to 
shareholders on the register on  
27 April 2012. 

Capital expenditure

We invested £59.1 million (2010: 
£45.6 million) in the business 
during 2011. This reflected the 
completion of the £21 million 
investment in the Newcastle and 
Penrith bakeries, as well as the 
accelerated rate of new shop 
openings and refits. We also 
invested £6 million in equipment 
across the business as we 
completed the installation of 
fresh ground coffee machines in 
all our shops and continued the 
roll-out of our hot sandwich offer. 
Depreciation in the year was £30.7 
million (2010: £29.0 million).

We plan capital expenditure of 
circa £45 million in 2012, the focus 
being on new shop openings and 
continued refurbishments. As in 
2011, our investment in the future 

of the business will be funded from 
our own strong cash flow.

Return on capital

We manage our return on capital 
through our Investment Board, 
where all capital expenditure is 
subject to rigorous appraisal both 
before and after it is made. For new 
shops, we target a return on capital 
of over 20 per cent by the third 
year of operation, in recognition 
of the fact that we need to cover 
our longer term investment in 
the supply chain. Our new shop 
returns in 2011 were well on track 
to achieve returns in line with  
our targets. 

We also targeted greater 
efficiencies in the costs of 
refurbishing our shops in 2011 and 
were successful in achieving a 
reduction of 15 per cent per square 
metre in the cost of our shopfitting 
during the year.

Excluding this year’s exceptional 
credit, we delivered an overall 
return on capital employed for 2011 
of 24.4 per cent (2010: 25.9 per 
cent). The year-on-year reduction 
reflects the relatively modest profit 
progress during a year in which 
significant capital expenditure  
was committed.

Cash flows and balance sheet

The Group remains highly cash 
generative, with total cash 
generated from operations in 
2011 of £88.1 million (2010: £77.8 
million). At the end of the year the 
Group had no debt and net cash 
and cash equivalents of £19.5 
million (2010: £20.8 million). This 
puts us in a strong position to 
fulfil the growth potential of the 
business while continuing to deliver 
good returns for shareholders.

Richard Hutton 
Finance Director 
14 March 2012

We have sold 4.8 million  
Superstar Doughnuts 
since their launch in 
October 2011. 

14

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Key financial  
performance indicators

We use seven key financial performance indicators to monitor the performance of the Group against our 
strategy. These KPIs and how we performed against them are detailed below:

Total sales growth

2011

5.8%

2010

2.1% 

3.3% 

2009

2008

2007

7.1% 

6.4% 

Like-for-like sales growth 

2011

1.4%

2010

0.2% 

2009

0.8% 

2008

2007

4.4% 

5.3% 

Growth in net shop numbers

The percentage year-on-year change in total sales for the Group,  
adjusted for the impact of a 53 week year in 2009. 

In 2011 total sales grew by 5.8% (2010: 2.1%) to £701m (2010: £662m). 

This reflected the accelerated opening of new shops along with like-for-like 
sales growth in the Group’s existing estate.

Compares year-on-year cash sales in our ’core’ shops, i.e. it is not 
distorted by shop openings and closures. Like-for-like sales growth 
includes selling price inflation and VAT. 

Like-for-like sales grew by 1.4% in 2011 (2010: 0.2%). The increase in the 
rate of VAT to 20% in January 2011 accounted for 0.4% of the like-for-like 
sales growth in the year.

68

84 

Represents the net increase in the number of shops in operation at the  
end of the year. 

In 2011 we opened a total of 98 new shops and closed 14 resulting in  
the net addition of 84 new shops to the estate (2010: 68).

2011
2011

2010
2010

2009
2009

10

2008
2008

2007
2007

41

32

 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

15

Capital expenditure (£m)

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

30.3

45.6

40.8

42.3

59.1

The total amount incurred in the year on investment in tangible  
fixed assets. 

Capital expenditure in 2011 was £59.1m (2010: £45.6m) which included 
£16m (2010: £5m) in respect of the construction of two new bakeries.

Adjusted operating profit (£m)

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

Operating margin 

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

53.0

52.4

48.4

44.3

47.7

7.6%

7.9%

7.4% 

7.1% 

8.1% 

Reflects the performance of the Group before financing and taxation impacts 
and excludes exceptional items arising in the year. 

Adjusted operating profit for the year increased by 1.2% to £53.0m (2010: 
£52.4m). This included the negative impact caused by the additional public 
holiday in 2011, which reduced profits by circa £1m.

Shows the adjusted operating profit of the Group as a percentage of  
turnover.

Operating margin for the year has reduced slightly to 7.6% (2010: 7.9%) 
reflecting the additional public holiday (see above) and increased promotional 
activity investment.

Adjusted diluted earnings per share (pence) 

2011
2011

2010
2010

38.8

37.3

Calculated by dividing profit attributable to shareholders before exceptional 
items by the average number of dilutive outstanding shares. 

Diluted earnings per share increased by 4.0% to 38.8p (2010: 37.3p).

2009
2009

10

34.0

2008
2008

2007
2007

41

30.6

32

32.0

 
 
 
 
We serve fresh 
sandwiches, 
handmade using 
bread we baked  
ourselves.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

17

Social Responsibility

8,000 breakfasts served every day in our Breakfast Clubs.

A record £1 million raised for BBC Children in Need in 2011.

£650,000 donated to Greggs Foundation.

35% reduction in salt and 17% in fat in our core  
confectionery lines.

Our overall carbon footprint reduced by 5.6%.

Our approach to Social Responsibility

Greggs is a growing company 
that has always cared about 
’doing the right thing’ for 
our local communities, our 
people, our customers and for 
our environment. Our values 
underpin our approach to social 
responsibility and help us run  
our business in a safe and 
responsible way.

The Board is accountable for 
social responsibility, and the Chief 
Executive is ultimately responsible 
for the delivery of our commitments 
in this area. In 2008 we established 
a Steering Group to effectively 
manage and embed social 
responsibility within our business, 

defining our responsibilities under 
four key ’pillars’ – Community; 
People; Food & Nutrition and 
Environment.

The Steering Group, chaired 
by the Company Secretary and 
General Counsel, comprises four 
members of the Operating Board 
plus the Chief Executive and the 
Social Responsibility Manager. The 
Steering Group meets quarterly 
and is responsible for overseeing 
the delivery of our annual social 
responsibility targets.

18

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Greggs Chief Executive, Kennedy McMeikan visiting a Greggs Breakfast Club.

Making a difference to our local communities.

Progress against our 
2011 targets

Extend the Greggs Breakfast  
Club scheme to 180  
supported clubs. 

✓

By the end of the year a total of 
180 Breakfast Clubs were open, 
with 14 of these now operating 
under our partnership model with 
other organisations. In total 8,000 
children benefit each day from 
the clubs – that is over 1.4 million 
healthy breakfasts each year – 
and over 500 parent volunteers 
help run clubs. We made a specific 
mid-year commitment to support 
the areas of London, Birmingham, 
Manchester and Liverpool 
affected by the recent riots, and 
five of our new clubs were opened 
in these areas. 

Donate at least one per cent of 
profits to the grant-making and 
Breakfast Club programmes 
of Greggs Foundation. Hold a 

conference for our Regional Charity 
Committees in 2011 to encourage 
our people to do even more for 
our local communities. 

✓

In 2011 we donated a total of 
£650,000 to the grant-making 
and Breakfast Club programmes 
of our Foundation, representing 
1.2 per cent of pre-tax profits. We 
held our Foundation Conference 
at the beginning of February 
2012 after deciding this was the 
most appropriate date. We were 
overwhelmed by the enthusiasm 
of our people to do even more to 
support our local communities in 
the year ahead.

Hold our second national 
fundraising week for Greggs 
Foundation in 2011 with the aim 
of raising over £70,000. 

✓

We ran a very successful 
campaign, raising £83,400. All of 
this money went to support smaller, 
locally-based organisations in the 
communities served by our shops, 

with our people and customers 
encouraged to nominate local 
causes to receive support. We 
were delighted to have raised such 
a significant amount of money for 
the Foundation.

For the sixth year running we will 
engage our staff and customers 
in a major national fundraising  
campaign to support the 
BBC Children in Need appeal. 

✓

2011 was another record year of 
fundraising by Greggs. We raised 
an amazing £1,001,052 for BBC 
Children in Need. This takes our 
total raised to over £3 million in 
the last four years and we are 
the second largest corporate 
fundraiser. The immense sense of 
pride and achievement at raising 
such a phenomenal amount of 
money for BBC Children in Need 
was simply fantastic.

Support Greggs-sponsored fun 
runs and another Great Bakery 
Bike Ride to help more of our  

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

19

personal and professional 
development opportunities for 
our Greggs volunteers and a 
great understanding of some 
of the issues facing our local 
communities. 

Our targets for 2012
Extend the Greggs Breakfast 
Club scheme to a total number of 
220 clubs.

Donate at least one per cent of 
profits to the grant-making and 
Breakfast Club programmes 
of Greggs Foundation and 
encourage our people to do even 
more for our local communities.

Hold our third national 
fundraising week for Greggs 
Foundation with the aim of 
raising £100,000 to support  
good causes.

For the seventh year running we 
will engage our staff and 

customers in a major national 
fundraising campaign to  
support the BBC Children in 
Need appeal.

Deliver a multi-sports 
programme into 20 primary 
schools to promote healthy 
exercise. Support the 30th North 
East Children’s Cancer Run to 
help raise £300,000 in 2012.

Continue our work on initiatives 
to help break the cycle of 
unemployment amongst the 
young and those in marginalised 
groups in our communities by:

•  increasing our investment  
  by £100,000 to help tackle 
  youth unemployment

•  providing more than 100  
  placements in 2012

•   providing training and 

mentoring to prepare people 
for the world of work.

Over £3m raised 
for BBC Children in Need  
in the last 4 years.

Fundraising for BBC Children in Need. 

people to fundraise through 
exercise-related activities. 

✓

We continued our support of the 
Greggs North East Children’s 
Cancer Run, which has now  
raised over £5 million since 1983.  
In 2011 the North East Children’s 
Cancer Run raised £195,000. We 
also ran ’Bakery Bike Rides’ in our 
regions in support of the Greggs 
Foundation fundraising week.

Divert an increasing proportion  
of our fresh, unsold food to  
good causes. 

✓

We now work with regional 
FareShare organisations in 
London, Birmingham, Manchester, 
Newcastle, Edinburgh and 
Dundee, donating unsold food for 
distribution to groups in need.

Continue to roll out initiatives 
to help break the cycle of 
unemployment for marginalised 
groups in our communities, 
utilising our skills as a 
major employer. 

✓

In 2011 we have made significant 
progress in our work with Business 
Action on Homelessness (BAOH) 
through the Cyrenians. 56 people 
have now come through this 
programme in the North East 
with six people participating in 
the Greggs BAOH programme 
in 2011. We are really proud 
that of these, four have now 
secured employment, three with 
us and one with the Cyrenians. 
Our People Director sits on the 
Leadership team of the National 
Employers Forum to Reduce Re-
offending and we have a number 
of ongoing projects to assist in 
this agenda by both preparing 
people for work and providing 
job opportunities and placements 
within Greggs. Working in these 
partnerships provides support 
in a variety of ways, through 
training, mentoring, placement 
opportunities and employment 
opportunities. They also provide 

 
20

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

A great place to work.

Progress against our 
2011 targets 

We will continue to share  
10 per cent of our profits with 
our people. 

✓

We are proud that we have been 
able to continue our long-standing 
commitment to share 10 per cent 
of our profits with our people and 
a record £5.9 million will be shared 
amongst eligible employees in 
respect of 2011. 

In our EOS survey our  
engagement score will  
improve to at least 73 per cent.

✓

In our Employee Opinion Survey 
(EOS) our engagement score 
improved to 77 per cent, up 
from 72 per cent in 2010. We are 
extremely pleased with this result 
and we thank the 89 per cent of 
our people who took the time to 
complete our EOS.

We will focus on communication for 
our people and our targets will be:

•   More than 65 per cent of our 
people feel they have the 
opportunity to contribute their 
views on issues that affect them.

•   More than 65 per cent of our 

supply teams feel that their line 
manager/supervisor shares 
important knowledge and 
information with them. 

7

Our EOS results show that  
64 per cent of our workforce feel  
they have the opportunity to 
contribute their views. Our retail 
teams achieved 66 per cent and our 
Head Office teams 70 per cent. We 
achieved 53 per cent in our supply 
chain and this will be our main area 
of focus in 2012. While missing our 
overall target, this is a significant 
improvement on the 58 per cent 
score in 2010. In 2012 we will focus 
on increasing the opportunities our 
people have to contribute their views.

In 2011, 56 per cent of our 
supply teams felt that important 
knowledge and information about 
the business is shared with them. 

This misses our target of  
65 per cent, but is an improvement 
on the 51 per cent scored in 2010. 
Our retail teams scored 81 per cent 
and our Head Office teams scored 80 
per cent. In 2012 we will increase our 
focus on improving communication 
within our supply teams.

We will create over 700 new  
retail jobs through our new  
shop opening programme. 

✓

In 2011 we opened a net 84 new 
shops around the UK, creating 
over 800 new retail jobs for people 
in our local communities. 

We will reduce our accidents  
by 5 per cent from our Accident  
Incident Rate of 2010. 

✓

By delivering a simpler, more 
easily understood approach to 
safety, involving all levels within 
the business, we are pleased that 
reportable accidents have been 
reduced by 27 per cent. This was 
an excellent achievement and a 
credit to our Health and Safety 
teams’ efforts in 2011. 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

21

10% of  
our profits  
shared with 
our employees  
once again.

We will recruit and develop 10 - 15 
new Bakery Apprentices in 2011. 

✓

We operate a Bakery Apprentice 
Programme and have provided 
training and career development 
for ten young people in 2011.

To enhance the skills of our people 
and benefit our communities we 
will encourage our 650 graded 
managers to commit to using  
one working day to volunteer their 
skills and expertise in 2011 to  
support a local community-based 
or environmental project. 
✘

The introduction of this programme 
was delayed until 2012. During 
2011 we continued to provide 
our people with paid time away 
from work to volunteer and over 
250 working days were spent 
volunteering by our people, 
benefiting our local communities.

Our targets for 2012

We will aim to create a further 
800 new retail jobs through  
our shop opening programme. 

We will continue to share 10 per 
cent of our profits with our people.

In our EOS survey, our 
engagement score will improve  
to at least 78 per cent.

We will focus on communication 
with our people, and our targets  
will be:

•   more than 65 per cent of  
our people feel they have  
the opportunity to contribute 
their views on issues that 
affect them

•   more than 65 per cent of our 
supply teams feel that their 
line manager/supervisor 
shares important knowledge 
and information with them.

We will improve our health and 
safety performance through:

•   reducing our accidents by a 
further 5 per cent from our 
Accident Incident Rate of 2011.

•   increasing by 50 per cent the 

number of retail units achieving 
our top health and safety rating.

To enhance the skills of our people 
and benefit our communities we 
will continue to encourage our 650 
graded managers to commit to 
using one working day to volunteer 
their skills and expertise in 2012 to 
support a local community-based 
or environmental project.

Improve the diversity of our  
people by:

•   ensuring that we recruit from 
a wide pool of talent that is 
reflective of our local community 
around main office locations in 
the North East of England

•   delivering a roadshow 

highlighting our development 
programmes, career 
progression and role models 
to encourage more women 
to progress into senior roles 
throughout Greggs.

22

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Fresh quality bakery food our customers can trust.

Progress against our 
2011 targets 

Provide nutritional information  
for our full national range.

✓

We have published detailed 
nutritional information on our 
national range of products 
using in-store leaflets and our 
website. Customers can also 
telephone our customer 
contact team to request 
nutritional information on any 
of our products including 
regional and local products. 

Continue to reduce salt content, 
working towards the Food 
Standards Agency and Department 
of Health 2012 targets, without 
compromising the great taste  
and quality of our food. 

✓

Our work continues in this area and 
we are pleased that, for our core 
bread products, we have reduced 
the salt content by 19 per cent, 

already meeting the FSA’s 
2012 target for salt in bread. 
We have also reduced the salt 
content of our core confectionery 
lines by 35 per cent. This work 
has been done without 
adversely affecting the taste 
or quality of our products and 
our work in 2012 will continue 
to focus on our sandwich and 
savoury lines. 

Continue to reduce fat content 
without compromising the  
great taste and quality  
of our food. 

✓

In addition to the salt reduction 
work on our core confectionery 
lines, we have also successfully 
reduced the fat content in these 
products by 17 per cent. 
Again this work has been 
done without adversely 
affecting the taste and quality 
of the products and our work 
in 2012 will continue to 
focus on our sandwich and 
savoury lines. 

Continue to remove the 
last artificial flavours from 
the range of products we 
make ourselves.

✘

Work has continued to remove 
the artificial flavours from the few 
remaining products containing 
them. While the work was not 
completed in 2011, we fully expect 
this to be completed in 2012, again 
ensuring that we do not adversely 
affect the taste and quality our 
customers expect from Greggs.

Collate our approach to 
ethical sourcing into a formal, 
defined policy. 

✓

In 2011 we defined our stance 
on ethical sourcing in a formal 
policy covering the specific areas 
of ’Relationships with Suppliers’, 
’Local Sourcing’, ’Quality’, ’Animal 
Welfare’, ’Ethics’, ’Environment’ 
and ’People’.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

23

We provide  
nutritional 
information 
for our full 
national range.

Promote better understanding  
of balanced diets. 

✓

We continued our work with 
ExpoChef in 2011, working with 
over 7,000 primary school children 
to promote a better understanding 
of food and the need for a 
balanced diet as part of a healthy 
lifestyle - since 2010 over 10,500 
children have benefited from our 
partnership with ExpoChef. 

We also partnered with Newcastle 
Eagles Foundation to deliver 
a healthy diet and lifestyle 
message to over 800 primary 
school children, while our ’football 
festivals’ with Newcastle United 
Foundation / Complete Football 
delivered a similar lifestyle and 
exercise programme for 27 
primary schools across the 
North East region.

Our targets for 2012

Keep up-to-date nutritional information available for customers on:

•  our evolving national range 
•  our key local lines. 

Continue to reduce salt content, working towards the FSA / DoH 2012 
targets, without compromising the great taste and quality of our food,  
with particular emphasis on:

•  savouries 
•  sandwiches.

Continue to reduce fat content through recipe improvement without 
compromising the great taste and quality of our food, with particular 
emphasis on:

•  savouries 
•  sandwiches.

Remove the last artificial flavours from our savoury range without 
compromising their great taste and quality.

Undertake and evaluate a significant trial to display calorie information 
on shelf edge ticketing for the entire range. 

 
 
 
24

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Reducing our impact on the world around us.

Our targets for 2012
We will continue to target a 25 
per cent reduction in our carbon 
footprint by 2015 (measured 
in tonnes of CO2e per shop) 
by building on our 5.6 per cent 
reduction in 2011.

Achieve a reduction in total 
energy usage (measured in 
tonnes of CO2e per shop) of:

•  3 per cent in bakeries  
•  1.5 per cent in shops. 

We will divert an additional 5 
per cent of waste from landfill 
in 2012, building on the 75 per 
cent of waste currently diverted 
in 2011.

Achieve an additional 1.5 
per cent reduction in carbon 
generated by our distribution 
activity (measured in tonnes 
of CO2e per KM per shop) as 
part of a three-year 6 per cent 
reduction target.

We will support the Rivers Trusts 
in Wales through the donation 
of the revenues raised from the 
Welsh carrier bag charge.  

Progress against our 
2011 targets

Achieve a 5 per cent reduction 
on our 2010 carbon footprint 
(measured in tonnes of CO2e  
per shop), as part of our target  
of 25 per cent reduction per  
shop by the end of 2015. 

✓

A range of efficiency work 
across our shops, bakeries and 
distribution fleet has successfully 
reduced our overall footprint 
(tonnes of carbon per shop) by 5.6 
per cent this year. 

Achieve a 3 per cent reduction in 
total energy usage in our shops 
and bakeries (measured in  
tonnes of CO2e per shop). 

✓

We are pleased to report that our 
energy efficiency work across retail 
and supply has delivered a 3.8 per 
cent reduction in carbon per shop, 
against a target of 3 per cent.

Achieve a 2.5 per cent reduction 
over the next three years in carbon 
generated by our distribution 
activity (measured in tonnes of 
CO2e per KM per shop). 

✓

Trials of the latest vehicle 
telematics system and a dedicated 
fuel efficiency training programme, 
coupled with ongoing fleet 
efficiency work, has enabled us to 
meet our 3-year reduction target 
on distribution fleet carbon in a 
single year. Against a 2.5 per cent 
reduction target, we reduced our 
carbon (tonnes per KM per shop) 
by 6.2 per cent.

We will divert an additional  
10 per cent of waste from  
landfill in 2011. 

✓

We have worked hard over the last 
two years to significantly reduce 

the proportion of our waste going 
to landfill and we are pleased to 
report that in 2011 we successfully 
diverted an additional 29 per cent 
of waste from landfill. We now 
divert 75 per cent of our waste 
away from landfill, a significant 
achievement compared to  
2009 (16 per cent) and 2010 
(49 per cent). 

Reduce our bakery waste by  
5 per cent (on a per shop basis). 

✓

In terms of reducing production 
waste, we are pleased with our 
progress in 2011, and while there is 
room for further improvement, we 
have successfully reduced bakery 
waste (on a per shop basis) by 
17 per cent. 

We will trial an electric car 
for six months to get a better 
understanding of how this  
could help reduce our future 
carbon footprint. 

✓

During 2011 we trialled a Nissan 
LEAF electric car and feedback 
was positive although concerns 
remain over the range of the 
vehicle. The findings will help us 
to further revise and shape our car 
policy when electric vehicles go 
into mass production in the future.

We will explore involvement  
with the Rivers Trust to investigate  
ways in which we can support  
improvements in the  
environment. 

✓

We have investigated ways in 
which we can work with the 
individual Rivers Trusts, and 
plans are now in place to offer 
volunteering opportunities as part 
of our volunteering programme 
in 2012.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

25

Re-opening of our Colchester shops, following a refit.

Greggs is a member of  
the FTSE4Good 
sustainability index.

Greggs took part in the 
Business in the Community 
Corporate Responsibility 
Index for the first time in 
2010. We continued our 
involvement in 2011 and 
achieved a bronze award.

Recognition

The Greggs Foundation 
received recognition as 
Corporate Foundation  
of the Year at the 2011 
Business Charity Awards, 
praised for its localness, the 
engagement of staff and the 
fabulous neighbourhood 
charitable activity.

Greggs Finance Director 
Richard Hutton was 
presented with the 
Sustainable Business 
Award at the FDs’ 
Excellence Awards 2011.

Greggs is a contributor to the 
Carbon Disclosure Project.

26

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Principal risks  
and uncertainties

The Board is ultimately responsible for the Company’s system of internal control, which covers all aspects 
of the business, and for reviewing its effectiveness. However, any such system can only be designed to 
manage, rather than eliminate, the risk of failure to achieve the Company’s objectives and, therefore, is only 
able to provide reasonable, and not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss.

Our principal risks and uncertainties relating to the business at present are as follows: 

Market and economic risks

Risks and their impact

Economic uncertainty

Mitigating actions and controls

The continued economic uncertainty in the UK and 
beyond affects consumer confidence and reduces the 
footfall on the high street. This could have a detrimental 
effect on the Company’s revenues. 

The Company is committed to maintaining the value 
of its offer and works to find the most effective ways 
to communicate this to customers. The Company 
continues to diversify its estate such that it is not 
entirely reliant on high street footfall.

Consumers’ tastes and trends

Customer tastes are constantly changing, as are  
trends in eating, driven by government-backed 
campaigns linked to the health of the nation and 
obesity. The Company could lose market share if its 
products do not keep up with these tastes and trends.

The Company conducts regular research into 
consumer tastes, and works constantly on product 
development to ensure its range has broad appeal 
and reflects changing trends. It also monitors changes 
in and performance of its competitors. The Company 
recognises the link between a balanced diet and a 
healthy lifestyle and therefore provides nutritional 
information on its website to allow customers to make 
an informed choice.

 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

27

Operational risks

Risks and their impact

Mitigating actions and controls

Product quality and safety

The Company produces and sells a wide range  
of products. If products are not of a high and  
consistent standard, or out-of-date ingredients and 
products are used and sold, the Company could be  
exposed to significant food safety issues. This could 
have a detrimental impact on consumer confidence 
and revenue.

Disruption to production

A major incident leads to the loss of a key production 
facility. This could lead to a significant loss of capacity 
and supply disruption to our shops with a resultant 
impact on revenue.

The Company has in place detailed procedures 
regarding product quality and safety and these are 
subject to regular audits.

The Company has detailed disaster recovery and 
business continuity plans which include potential 
alternative sources of supply. 

Food scare

A major food scare beyond the control of the Company 
could lead to a disruption in ingredient supply or a 
general consumer boycott of some products.

We constantly monitor national and worldwide 
situations. We also work closely with Government and 
other UK agencies.

Disruption to external supply chain

Dependencies on key suppliers could lead to a 
situation where we are unable to maintain production. 

We aim to ensure we have several sources of supply 
but where this is not achieved we have an actionable 
alternative supply strategy.  

Reputation risk

If we don’t meet high production, safety, social, 
environmental and ethical standards in all of our 
operations there is a risk that our brand reputation 
could be damaged.

Our Operating Board, Risk Committee and Social 
Responsibility Steering Group regularly review and 
monitor our operations, identifying potentially brand-
damaging risks and developing mitigation plans. All of 
our products are subjected to rigorous quality checks 
and audit. We also have in place a Crisis Management 
process for dealing with incidents in an appropriate 
and timely manner, and we retain public relations 
consultants to advise and assist with any issues which 
are being debated in public.

 
28

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Principal risks and uncertainties - continued

Regulatory risks

Risks and their impact

Mitigating actions and controls

Health and safety

A health and safety accident or incident could lead to 
serious illness, injury or even loss of life for one or more 
of the Company’s employees or customers.

The Company has functioning health and safety 
policies and procedures throughout the business. 
The operation of these is subject to both internal and 
external audit.

Legal

Adverse regulatory risk including tax, planning, 
environmental, employment, and food safety laws can 
increase the cost base and reduce flexibility.

In addition to taking advice where it is considered 
appropriate, the Company monitors new legislative 
developments through its membership of the CBI 
and British Retail Consortium, such that it can lobby 
Government where appropriate and plan to give effect 
to new laws as and when they are adopted.

Financial risks

Risks and their impact

Mitigating actions and controls

Liquidity

The Company operates with net current liabilities and 
is reliant on its cash sales to meet short-term payment 
requirements. 

In the event of a significant business interruption 
the Company would draw on cash and borrowing 
facilities to meet working capital requirements. This 
would include deferring capital expenditure in order to 
maximise cashflow.

Pension scheme

The Company has a potential liability under its defined 
benefit pension scheme. The funding level of the 
scheme is sensitive to the risk of changes in key 
assumptions such as life expectancy, price inflation 
and asset returns. Changes in these assumptions can 
lead to volatility in the liability (or surplus) recognised 
on the balance sheet.

Price inflation 

Significant changes in the costs of raw materials, 
wages, overheads and utilities could create volatility in 
the Company’s short-term financial performance.

The scheme is closed to new members and to future 
accrual of benefits. The Company works closely with 
the Trustee of the scheme to manage its long-term 
funding requirements.

To mitigate this risk, agreements with suppliers fix the 
price of key input costs in the short term. This reduces 
volatility and allows the Company to plan its costs with 
greater certainty.

 
 
 
Risk management 

Operating Board

The directors regularly review the 
risks to which the Company is 
exposed, as well as the operation 
and effectiveness of the system 
of internal controls. This is an 
ongoing process which involves 
the identification, evaluation and 
management of the significant 
risks faced by the Company. Key 
elements of the internal control 
system, which have been in place 
during the whole of the year under 
review and up to the date of 
approval of this annual report and 
accounts, are: 

Board of Directors

The Board takes a proactive 
approach to the management of 
all forms of risk, and views risk 
management as a vital constituent 
of its role. At each Board meeting, 
the effectiveness of the controls 
relating to the most significant 
risks (i.e. those which may restrict 
the Company’s ability to meet 
its objectives) are monitored 
and reviewed and consideration 
is given as to whether any new 
material risks have emerged. The 
Audit Committee, on behalf of the 
Board, conducts a formal review of 
risk management procedures and 
reports its findings to the Board. 
Remedial action is determined 
where appropriate. For some key 
risks, where it is felt necessary, 
specialist advice is sought from 
external agencies and professional 
advisers. The Board also reviews, 
at least annually, the major risks 
facing the business and the level 
and scope of insurance cover 
maintained within the business. 
The Board receives reports from 
management on significant 
changes in the business and 
external environment which might 
affect the risk profile. It has also 
set in place a system of regular 
hierarchical reporting which 
provides for relevant details and 
assurances on the assessment and 
control of risks to be given to it.

The Operating Board, answerable 
directly to the Chief Executive, 
is responsible for implementing 
decisions of the Board and 
providing protection against the 
major risks by various techniques, 
including strategic planning, 
monitoring, supervision and training.

The Operating Board is made 
up of the following functional 
directors: Finance, Retail, Trading 
and Marketing, Supply Chain, 
People, and Corporate Affairs. It 
meets monthly to review financial 
and other business performance, 
as well as to develop, monitor and 
implement the strategies as set by 
the Board. Although the Operating 
Board is not a formal committee 
of the Board, it does have its 
own terms of reference which are 
reviewed by the Board from time  
to time.

Risk Committee

The Risk Committee is a 
management committee chaired 
by the Company Secretary 
and General Counsel. The Risk 
Committee consists of the Chief 
Executive, all members of the 
Operating Board, and appropriate 
heads of certain management 
functions within the business. It 
has responsibility for analysing, 
assessing, measuring and 
understanding the Company’s 
risk environment, as well as 
devising a sound risk management 
strategy for review and approval 
by the Board. The Risk Committee 
reports its findings and important 
changes to the Board through 
personal presentation, narrative 
reports and key performance 
indicators (internal and external 
to the organisation) and through 
the Audit Committee. The risks 
are assessed on a regular basis 
across all functional areas but, in 
particular, the areas of food safety, 
health and safety, the competitive 
environment, information flow, 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

29

asset protection and regulatory 
requirements.

Whistle blowing

The Company has “whistle 
blowing” procedures in place, 
which enable employees to bring 
matters to the attention of the 
senior management and for the 
confidential, proportionate and 
independent consideration and 
follow-up of any matter so raised. 
The “whistle blowing” procedures 
are reviewed regularly by the Audit 
Committee, and the Chairman of 
the Audit Committee is the first 
line recipient of any matters that 
are raised through this policy. 
There were no matters reported 
through the policy during the year. 
Following the implementation of 
the Bribery Act in July 2011, a new 
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy 
was introduced. Subsequently a 
Business Conduct Policy with an 
associated updated Gifts, Tips and 
Hospitality Policy has been issued 
and the final stage will include a 
review of the Whistle Blowing Policy.

Internal audit

The function continues to review 
the performance of shops, bakeries 
and central functions across a 
range of financial and non-financial 
requirements, reporting findings to 
senior management and direct to 
the Audit Committee. The Internal 
Audit Manager reports to the 
Company Secretary and General 
Counsel, to improve functional 
independence, and has a standing 
invitation to attend all Audit 
Committee meetings, not only that 
part relating to the presentation of 
relevant audit reports. The Internal 
Audit team has authority to access 
all areas of the business, senior 
management, and the Chairman of 
the Audit Committee as is seen fit. 
In 2012 the Internal Audit team will 
be provided with further resource 
to increase its effectiveness.

30

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Board of Directors

Back row, from left to right - Bob Bennett, Iain Ferguson, Jonathan Jowett, Raymond Reynolds, Richard Hutton, Roger Whiteside.

Front row, from left to right - Julie Baddeley, Derek Netherton, Kennedy McMeikan, Ian Durant.

The Board

The Board currently comprises the 
Chairman, three executive and five 
non-executive directors. On 5 October 
2011, Ian Durant joined the Board 
as an independent non-executive 
director.  There were no other 
changes to the Board during  
the period.  

Derek Netherton  
(Chairman), 67

Spent his career in investment 
banking and retired in 1996 from his 
position as joint head of corporate 
finance at J Henry Schroder & Co 
Limited. He was appointed to the 

Board on 1 March 2002 and was 
appointed Chairman in August of the 
same year. Derek is Chairman 
of Opera North, and a non-executive 
director of three companies in the 
Canada Life UK group. There have 
been no significant changes to the 
Chairman’s other commitments 
during 2011. Derek is Chairman of  
the Nominations Committee.

Kennedy McMeikan  
(Chief Executive), 46 

Joined the Board on 1 June 2008 
and became Chief Executive of the 
Company on 1 August 2008. Kennedy 
was Retail Director of J Sainsbury plc 
from 2005-2008. Prior to this, he had 
spent 14 years at Tesco. Appointed 

Chief Executive of Tesco in Japan 
in 2004 he had previously been 
Chief Executive of Europa Foods 
convenience store business following 
its acquisition by Tesco in 2002. He 
began his retail career at Sears UK in 
1986, after five years’ service in the 
Royal Navy.

Richard Hutton FCA  
(Finance Director), 43

Was appointed to the Board on 
13 March 2006. He qualified as a 
Chartered Accountant with KPMG and 
gained career experience with Procter 
& Gamble before joining Greggs in 
1998. He was appointed Finance 
Director on 10 May 2006.

 
Raymond Reynolds  
(Retail Director), 52

Was appointed to the Board as Retail 
Director on 18 December 2006. He 
joined Greggs in retail management 
in 1986, and has recently celebrated 
25 years’ service with the Company. 
During the late 1990s, as General 
Manager, he built a significant new 
business for Greggs in the Edinburgh 
region, and in 2002 he was appointed 
Managing Director of Greggs of 
Scotland. 

Bob Bennett, 64

Was appointed to the Board in 
December 2003. He trained as a 
Chartered Accountant with Spicer 
& Pegler and was Group Finance 
Director of Northern Rock plc from 
1993 until his retirement at the end of 
January 2007. He is a member of the 
Audit, Nominations and Remuneration 
Committees, and was Chairman of 
the Audit Committee from 2004 and 
Senior Independent Director (from 
2008), until 31 December 2011. Bob 
will retire as a director at the end of 
the AGM to be held on 16 May 2012.

Julie Baddeley, 60

Was appointed to the Board in March 
2005. She has held senior executive 
roles in Woolwich plc, (where she 
was responsible for Information 
Technology and Human Resources), 
Accenture and Sema Consulting. 
Julie is a non-executive director of 
Chrysalis VCT plc, and Harvey Nash 
plc, and is Chairwoman of Sustain 
Limited, the environmental consulting 
group. Julie is a member of the 
Remuneration, Nominations and Audit 
Committees and was Chair of the 
Remuneration Committee until 
31 December 2011. Julie was 
appointed as the Senior Independent 
Director on 1 January 2012.

Roger Whiteside, 53 

Joined the Board on 17 March 2008. 
Roger is Chief Executive of Punch 
Taverns plc. He was Chief Executive 
of the Thresher Group off-licence 
chain from 2004 to 2007. Prior to 
this, he was one of the founding 
team of Ocado, the innovative online 
grocer operating in partnership 
with Waitrose, and served as Joint 

Managing Director from 2000 to 
2004. He began his career at Marks 
& Spencer, where he spent 20 years, 
ultimately becoming head of its food 
business. Roger is a member of the 
Nominations, Remuneration and  
Audit Committees.

Iain Ferguson, CBE, 55 

Joined the Board on 31 March 2009. 
Iain was Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle 
PLC until October 2009. Previously, 
he worked for Unilever where he 
held a number of senior executive 
positions. He is currently a non-
executive director of Balfour Beatty 
plc, Chairman Elect of Berendson 
plc, Honorary Vice President of the 
British Nutrition Foundation and 
lead non-executive director of the 
DEFRA Management Committee. 
Iain became Chairman of the 
Remuneration Committee on 
1 January 2012, and is also a  
member of the Nominations and  
Audit Committees.

Ian Durant, 53

Joined the Board on 5 October 2011. 
He is a Chartered Accountant with a 
background in international financial 
and commercial management, and 
experience of the retail, property, hotel 
and transport sectors. Ian’s career 
includes leadership roles with the 
retail division of Hanson and Jardine 
Matheson, Hongkong Land, Dairy 
Farm International, Thistle Hotels, 
SeaContainers and as Finance 
Director at Liberty International. Ian 
is currently Chairman of Capital and 
Counties Properties PLC, a non-
executive director of Greene King 
plc and Home Retail Group plc, 
and an Advisory Board member of 
Eurosite Power Inc. Ian was appointed 
Chairman of the Audit Committee on 
1 January 2012 and he also sits on 
the Nominations and Remuneration 
Committees.

Jonathan Jowett 
(Company Secretary), 49

Joined the Company in April 2010 
and was appointed as Company 
Secretary on 12 May 2010. He is a 
solicitor by profession, and has held 
the position of Company Secretary 
in a number of FTSE 250 and FTSE 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

31

Smallcap companies. His previous 
employers include Avon Cosmetics 
Limited, SSL International plc, Wagon 
plc and Bakkavor Group. Jonathan is 
Secretary to the Board and each of  
its committees.

Directors and their interests

The names of the directors in office 
during the year, together with their 
relevant interests in the share capital 
of the Company at 1 January 2011 
and 31 December 2011 (or at date 
of appointment if later) are set out in 
note 25 to the accounts. Details of 
directors’ share options are set out in 
the Directors’ Remuneration report on 
pages 40 to 51.

In accordance with provision B.7.1 
of the Governance Code, all directors 
will retire from the Board at the AGM 
and offer themselves for election 
by shareholders.

The Nominations Committee has 
considered the appropriateness and 
suitability of each director standing for 
election and has recommended to the 
Board that each individual should be 
put forward for election.

Directors’ indemnities  
and conflicts

As at the date of this report, 
indemnities are in force under 
which the Company has agreed to 
indemnify the directors, to the extent 
permitted by law, in respect of losses 
arising out of or in connection with 
the execution of their duties, powers 
or responsibilities as directors of the 
Company. The indemnities do not 
apply in situations where the relevant 
director has been guilty of fraud or 
wilful misconduct.

Under the authority granted to 
them in the Company’s Articles 
of Association, the Board has 
considered carefully any situation 
declared by any director pursuant 
to which they have or might have 
a conflict of interest and, where it 
considers it appropriate to do so,  
has authorised the continuation 
of that situation. In exercising its 
authority, the directors have had 
regard to their statutory and other 
duties to the Company. 

32

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Governance

“This is the first year that the 
Board is reporting against The 
UK Corporate Governance Code 
(“the Governance Code”), as 
introduced by the Financial 
Reporting Council in June 
2010.  I can report that the 
Board considers that it has 
complied, throughout the year 
under review, with the principles 
of governance set out in the 
Governance Code.”

Derek Netherton – Chairman

The Board recognises the 
importance of, and is committed 
to, high standards of corporate 
governance, and to integrity and 
high ethical standards in all of its 
business dealings.

The following statements, together 
with the Directors’ Remuneration 
Report on pages 40 to 51,  
describe how the relevant 
principles and provisions of the 

Governance Code were applied to 
the Company in 2011 and will be 
relevant to the Company for the 
2012 financial year. 

The Board

Effectiveness

The Nominations Committee under 
the leadership of the Chairman 
has considered the blend of skills 
and experience that the directors 
bring to the Board. This includes 
independent and objective 
experience of food retailing, 
consumer goods manufacturing, 
finance, property, human resource 
management and corporate 
finance to complement the existing 
skills and experience of the 
executive directors.

The Board, under the chairmanship 
of Derek Netherton, meets regularly 
to discharge its duties.  

At these meetings, it reviews Group 
strategy, performance, resources, 
risk management and other matters 
reserved for the Board. Whilst 
the executive responsibility for 
running the Company’s business 
rests ultimately with the Chief 
Executive, Kennedy McMeikan, 
the non-executive directors ensure 
that the strategies proposed by 
the executive directors are fully 
discussed and critically examined 
prior to adoption. During 2011, the 
scheduled Board and Committee 
meetings and the number of 
meetings attended by each director 
were as follows:

Main 
Board 

Audit 
Committee 

Remuneration 
Committee 

Nominations
Committee

Number of meetings held 

Derek Netherton 

Kennedy McMeikan 

Richard Hutton 

Raymond Reynolds 

Julie Baddeley 

Bob Bennett 

Ian Durant* 

Iain Ferguson 

Roger Whiteside 

6 

6 

6  

6 

6  

5 

5 

1 

6 

6 

4 

- 

-  

-  

-  

3  

4  

1 

4  

4  

4 

- 

-  

-  

-  

3  

4  

1 

4  

4  

3 

3

-

-

-

3

2

1

3

3

*Based on meetings since joining the Board on 5 October 2011.

In addition, the non-executive directors meet formally twice each year and from time to time, as required.

 
 
 
The Board has a policy on the 
separation of the roles of the 
Chairman and the Chief Executive. 
The Chairman sets the agenda 
for Board meetings in accordance 
with a specific Schedule of Matters 
Reserved, and ensures that the 
Board is supplied, in a timely 
manner, with information in a 
form and of a quality appropriate 
to enable it to discharge its 
duties. The Board considers that 
it effectively leads and controls 
the Company. All directors take 
decisions objectively and in the 
interests of the Company. The 
non-executive directors scrutinise 
the performance of management 
in meeting agreed goals and 
objectives and monitor the 
reporting of performance.  
All directors receive induction 
training on joining the Board 
and regularly update and refresh 
their knowledge through reading, 
attendance on relevant courses 
and/or activities outside the 
Company. As part of the process 
of maintaining an awareness 
of the Company’s activities 
and assessing the ability of the 
management team, members of 
the senior management team are 
invited to attend Board meetings 
and/or to present papers to the 
Board. This process also affords 
senior managers the opportunity 
to bring matters to the attention 
of the Board.

The Board is proud of its reputation 
for bringing the Company’s best 
talent through the organisation and 
encouraging people to succeed 
regardless of gender, race or any 
other characteristic. As a result 
three out of seven of the most 
senior retail managers are women, 
as are three out of ten bakery 
managers. The Board believes it is 
in the best interests of the Company 
to continue to bring women through 
to the very top levels within the 
business and is supportive of Lord 
Davies’ call to action.

At Board level, the Company has 
benefited from having a stable 
Board and would only look to 
replace the existing directors as 
and when it is appropriate for them 
to retire. At the moment the Board 
has nine directors (of whom one is 
female) and would hope to have 
recruited two new female directors 
by 2015. This of course depends 
on finding suitable candidates, 
and the Board will continue to 
actively encourage its recruiters 
to seek out qualified women as 
potential directors.

The Board is firmly of the view that 
it is in the interests of the Company 
and the communities in which 
it operates that it recruits and 
develops the very best people from 
the widest possible pool of talent.

The Board is satisfied that a process 
is in place for orderly succession to 
the Board and to positions of senior 
management, so as to maintain an 
appropriate balance of skills and 
experience within the Company and 
on the Board.

After carefully reviewing the 
guidance in the Governance 
Code, all of the non-executive 
directors are considered by 
the Board to be independent in 
character and judgement and 
to be free from any business or 
other relationship or circumstance 
which is likely to affect or to 
interfere with the exercise of their 
independent judgement.

Election and re-election of 
directors

The Company’s articles of 
association require that all directors 
must retire and seek election at the 
first AGM following appointment. 
Accordingly, Ian Durant will resign 
as a director and offer himself for 
election at the AGM to be held on 
16 May 2012. Furthermore, the 
Board has resolved that, in line with 
Governance Code provision B.7.1, 
all of the directors will be subject to 
annual re-election by shareholders.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

33

All directors are able to receive 
training and to take independent 
professional advice at the 
expense of the Company. 
They also have direct access to 
the Company Secretary, who is 
responsible for advising the Board, 
through the Chairman, on all 
governance matters.

The Chairman meets with the 
non-executive directors at least 
annually without the executive 
directors present. The Senior 
Independent Director meets 
the non-executive directors 
annually without the Chairman 
present to appraise the 
Chairman’s performance.

Evaluation

The performance of the Board, 
its Committees and of all directors 
is evaluated annually by a formal 
and rigorous process. For the 
review relating to 2011, each 
director completed a written 
questionnaire and participated in 
a ’one to one’ interview with the 
Company Secretary. In addition 
to covering the effectiveness of 
the Board, its committees and 
each individual director, the 
process also included a review 
of the performance of the Board 
against the objectives it set for 
itself at the start of the year and 
whether the Board had operated 
in accordance with the Company’s 
values at all times. The results are 
fed back to the Chairman and then 
to the Board for evaluation and 
discussion. These discussions are 
used to identify actions to improve 
effectiveness, to identify individual 
and collective training needs and 
to set objectives for the Board for 
the next year.

The Board has not yet conducted 
an external evaluation, and will give 
consideration to this in autumn 
2012 when the subject is next due 
for review. 

 
34

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Governance - continued

Board Committees 

The Nominations Committee 

The Board delegates some of its 
activities to the following committees, 
each of which has written terms of 
reference, which are available on the 
Company’s website. The Company 
Secretary acts as secretary to each 
of these committees, and each of the 
committees is provided with sufficient 
resources to undertake its duties.

The Audit Committee 

currently consists of five independent 
non-executive directors: Ian 
Durant (who assumed the Chair 
on 1 January 2012), Bob Bennett 
(Chairman until 31 December 2011), 
Julie Baddeley, Roger Whiteside and 
Iain Ferguson. The Committee met 
four times in the year, and a fuller 
report on its activities is set out on 
pages 36 and 37.

The Remuneration Committee

currently consists entirely of 
independent non-executive directors: 
Iain Ferguson (who assumed the 
chair from 1 January 2012) Julie 
Baddeley (who was Chair until 31 
December 2011), Bob Bennett, 
Roger Whiteside and Ian Durant. 
The Committee’s main duties (which 
it discharged during the year) are to 
determine the base salary, benefits 
in kind, terms and conditions of 
employment, performance-related 
bonuses, share options and pension 
benefits of the executive directors 
and the Chairman on behalf of 
the Board. The Committee is also 
responsible for the operation of the 
Company’s share option schemes 
and for monitoring the framework for, 
broad policy in respect of, and levels 
of remuneration of the Company’s 
senior management. A separate 
executive director committee sets, 
after discussion with the Chairman, 
the fees for the non-executive 
directors so as to ensure that no 
director is involved in setting his or 
her own remuneration. The Directors’ 
Remuneration Report is set out on 
pages 40 to 51 of this annual report.

currently comprises Derek 
Netherton - Chairman, and all of 
the non-executive directors. The 
Committee’s main functions (which 
it discharged during the year) are to 
review the balance and constitution 
of the Board; to advise the Board 
as to whether directors should be 
nominated for re-election by the 
members; and to approve and 
manage the process for setting 
the specification for all Board 
appointments, identifying candidates 
who meet that specification and 
making recommendations to 
the Board on the basis of merit 
and compliance with objective 
criteria in respect of all new 
Board appointments.

In recruiting additional directors 
the Nominations Committee 
defines the role and uses external 
consultants to assist in identifying 
suitable candidates from which 
the Committee selects a shortlist 
and conducts interviews. The final 
candidate is then subject to formal 
recommendation by the Committee 
and approval by the Board.

During the year the Committee 
oversaw the appointment of Ian 
Durant as an independent 
non-executive director. This process 
commenced with the appointment 
of Inzito LLP to assist with the 
search for a non-executive director. 
Inzito followed a brief approved by 
the Nominations Committee and 
produced a shortlist of candidates 
who were interviewed by members 
of the Committee and the executive 
directors. The Committee then 
recommended to the Board the 
appointment of Ian Durant, which 
was duly confirmed.

Board Handbook which contains 
key information and policies that 
are relevant to the position. In the 
induction process tailored for Ian 
Durant, this included meeting with 
the external auditor, as well as other 
senior members of KPMG Audit Plc 
who are not otherwise engaged on 
the audit work for the Company. 
For new executive directors where 
the appointment is their first such 
office, the induction includes details 
of the legal duties and obligations 
of being a director.

Risk management

Details of the Company’s principal 
risks and the management of 
these are given in the Business 
Review section, Principal risks and 
uncertainties on pages 26 to 29.

The Board confirms that it has 
reviewed the effectiveness of the 
system of internal control (covering 
all material controls, including 
financial, operational, compliance 
and risk management systems) 
during the year under review and 
up to the date of approval of the 
annual report and accounts.

Relations with shareholders

The Chairman ensures that 
there is effective communication 
with individual and institutional 
shareholders through the 
announcement of regular trading 
updates, as well as general 
presentations after announcement 
of the interim and preliminary 
results and the posting of results 
on the Company’s website. 
The Board receives reports on 
any comments received from 
shareholders following these 
presentations.

Following appointment, new directors 
are subject to an in-depth tailored 
induction process. In the case of 
non-executive directors, this 
includes meeting with members 
of the Operating Board, visiting 
bakeries, shops, and offices, and 
being provided with an extensive 

The Chief Executive and the 
Finance Director carry out 
extensive engagement with 
institutional shareholders and 
market analysts, either meeting 
them as part of company 
presentations and briefings, 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

35

Disclosure of information  
to auditors 

Each of the directors who held 
office at the date of approval of this 
directors’ report confirms that, so 
far as they are individually aware, 
there is no relevant audit information 
of which the Company’s auditors 
are unaware; and that they have 
taken all the steps that they ought 
to have taken as a director to make 
themselves aware of any relevant 
audit information and to establish 
that the Company’s auditors are 
aware of that information. 

Accountability, Audit and 
Going Concern 
The Board acknowledges its 
responsibility to present a balanced 
and understandable assessment 
of the Company’s position and 
prospects. This is fulfilled by 
the statements contained in the 
Chairman’s statement, Chief 
Executive’s report and the Financial 
Review which supplement the 
statutory accounts themselves. 
A statement of directors’ 
responsibilities in respect of the 
preparation of accounts is given on 
page 52. A statement of auditors’ 
responsibilities is given in the report 
of the auditors on page 53.

After making enquiries, the directors 
have a reasonable expectation that 
the Group has adequate resources 
to continue in operational existence 
for the foreseeable future. For this 
reason, they continue to adopt the 
going concern basis in preparing the 
accounts (see basis of preparation 
on page 63).

Number of  
shares held 

Percentage of 
issued share capital

Templeton Investment Counsel LLC 

Troy Asset Management 

F & C Asset Management 

Legal & General Investment  
Management

5,059,689 

4,640,666 

3,403,162 

3,188,166 

5.00

4.59

3.36

3.15 

individual meetings, or in telephone 
calls. In addition, the Company 
Secretary and the Company’s 
Brokers draw the attention of the 
Board to all relevant shareholder 
communications. The Board also 
reviews briefings and comments 
by analysts in order to maintain 
an understanding of market 
perceptions of the Company.

The AGM is well attended, with 
the Chairmen of the Board and its 
Committees available to answer 
any issues raised and any newly 
appointed directors being available 
to meet shareholders. At the AGM, 
the balance of proxy votes cast 
for and against each resolution 
and the number of abstentions is 
displayed. All substantial issues, 
including the receipt of the 
annual report and accounts, 
are proposed at the AGM 
as separate resolutions.

The Senior Independent Director 
is available to shareholders if they 
have concerns which they have not 
been able to resolve through the 
normal channels of the Chairman, 
Chief Executive or Finance Director, 
or for circumstances where such 
contact would not be appropriate.

Substantial shareholdings

At 14 March 2012 the only notified 
holdings of substantial voting rights 
in respect of the issued share 
capital of the Company (which 
may have altered since the date 
of such notification, without any 
requirement for the Company to 
have been informed) were:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
36

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Audit Committee Report

“I am pleased to present the Company’s first separate report to 
shareholders on the work of the Audit Committee.”

Ian Durant, Chairman of the Audit Committee

Committee activity

The Audit Committee is one of the 
key committees of the Board. The 
main functions discharged by the 
Committee during the year were: 

(i) 

(ii) 

(iii) 

(iv) 

(v) 

 to ensure that the accounting 
and financial policies of 
the Company are proper 
and effective; 
 to assist the Board in fulfilling 
its oversight responsibilities 
by monitoring the integrity of 
the accounts and information 
published by the Company; 
 to review the internal 
financial controls and the 
Group’s approach to risk 
management; 
 to monitor compliance with 
the Listing Rules and the 
recommendations of the 
Governance Code; and
 to maintain an appropriate 
relationship with the 
Company’s external and 
internal auditors and 
review the effectiveness 
and objectivity of the 
audit process.

During the year, the Committee, 
in performing these functions, 

reviewed the annual and interim 
accounts issued to shareholders; 
monitored compliance with 
financial reporting standards; 
considered the accounting for 
items requiring the exercise of 
material judgements, estimates 
and assumptions and any unusual 
items; considered the Company’s 
taxation policy and accounting; 
and considered the size and remit 
of the internal audit function. 

The Committee reviewed the 
Company’s internal control 
environment to satisfy itself that 
procedures are in place to ensure 
that assets are well protected, 
authority levels for expenditure 
are clear, segregation of duties 
exists and performance is regularly 
monitored. Processes are in place 
to ensure that key controls are 
being operated and compliance 
with these processes is the subject 
of inspection by the internal audit 
team and review by the Audit 
Committee.

The Committee also considered 
and made recommendations 
to the Board in relation to the 
independence and objectivity of 
the external auditors (including 
the impact of any non-audit work 

undertaken by them) and their 
suitability for re-appointment. 
The Audit Committee reviewed 
the scope of the external audit 
in discussion with the external 
auditors and agreed their fees in 
respect of the audit.

Following the introduction of 
the Bribery Act in July 2011, 
the Committee considered and 
approved a new Anti-Bribery and 
Corruption Policy, along with a 
new Business Conduct Policy 
and a revised Gifts, Tips and 
Hospitality Policy.

The Committee normally invites 
the Chairman, the executive 
directors, the Internal Audit 
Manager, and the external auditors 
to attend its meetings, although 
time is set aside bi-annually for 
discussion between the Committee 
and the external auditors and  
with the Internal Audit Manager, 
in each case in the absence 
of all executive directors. The 
Committee has the power to 
engage outside advisers if it sees 
fit. The Committee also monitors 
and reviews the effectiveness of 
internal audit activity and the risk 
management process.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

37

The Governance Code requires 
the Board to be satisfied that at 
least one member of the Audit 
Committee has recent and relevant 
financial experience – the Board 
is satisfied in this respect and 
is confident that the collective 
experience of the members 
enables them to act effectively 
as an Audit Committee. The 
Committee also has access to 
the Company’s financial team 
and to its auditors and can seek 
further professional advice, at the 
Company’s cost, if required.

External auditors

There are strict policies and 
procedures in place to control 
the use of external auditors in the 
provision of non-audit services. 
The Audit Committee keeps under 
review all non-audit services 
provided by the external auditors 
in order to seek to ensure that 
their independence and objectivity 
cannot be compromised. The 
Committee recognises that there 
are situations where it is in the 
Company’s best interests to use 
the services of its external auditors 
for non-audit work but manages 
such appointments and will not 
allow any non-audit work that 
might, in the Committee’s opinion 
impair the auditors’ objectivity or 
independence. In addition, the 
Audit Committee ensures that 
the external auditors have their 
own policies and are subject to 
professional standards designed 
to safeguard their independence 
as auditors. The Audit Committee 
has adopted a policy under which 
all use of the external auditors for 
non-audit work must be reported 

to and approved by the Committee 
and the aggregate of such fees 
will normally be less than 100% 
of the audit fee. In circumstances 
where the Committee believes 
that it is right to authorise 
non-audit fees in excess of this 
limit the Committee will approve 
such expenditure in advance of it 
being committed and provide an 
explanation to shareholders in the 
next directors’ report.

The Audit Committee has reviewed 
whether, and is satisfied that, the 
Company’s auditors, KPMG Audit 
Plc, continue to be objective and 
independent of the Company. 
KPMG Audit Plc does perform non-
audit services for the Group but the 
Audit Committee is satisfied that 
its objectivity is not impaired by 
such work. In 2011, non-audit fees 
paid to KPMG Audit Plc and related 
KPMG operations amounted to 
£83,000 (which is 52 per cent of the 
audit fee for the year) and related 
to taxation compliance services 
and pension scheme audits.

Reappointment of auditors

In accordance with Section 489 
of the Companies Act 2006, a 
resolution for the reappointment 
of KPMG Audit Plc as auditors 
of the Company will be proposed 
at the forthcoming Annual 
General Meeting.

Ian Durant
Chairman of the Audit Committee
14 March 2012

38

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Additional information

Fixed assets

In the opinion of the directors, 
the aggregate market value of 
the Group’s properties is not 
significantly different from their 
historical net book amount.

Authority to purchase shares

At the AGM (Annual General 
Meeting) on 11 May 2011, the 
shareholders passed a resolution 
authorising the purchase by the 
Company of its own shares to a 
maximum of 10,350,000 ordinary 
shares of 2p each.

That authority had not been used as 
at 31 December 2011.

The authority remains in force until 
the conclusion of the AGM in 2012 
or 16 August 2012, whichever is the 
earlier. It is the Board’s intention to 
seek approval at the 2012 AGM for 
the renewal of this authority.

Takeover Directive information

Following the implementation 
of the European Directive on 
Takeover Bids by certain provisions 
of the Companies Act 2006, the 
Company is required to disclose 
certain additional information in the 
directors’ report. This information is 
set out below.

•  The Company has one class 
of share in issue being ordinary 
shares of 2p each. As at 14 March 
2012, there were 101,155,901 such 
ordinary shares in issue. There are 
no shares in the Company that grant 
the holder special rights with regard 
to control of the Company.

•  At general meetings of the 
Company, on a show of hands every 
shareholder present in person or by 
proxy has one vote only and, in the 

case of a poll, every shareholder 
present in person or by proxy has 
one vote for every share in the 
capital of the Company held by him.

•  The Company’s articles 
of association set out the 
circumstances in which shares  
may become disenfranchised.  
No shareholder is entitled, unless 
the directors otherwise determine, 
in respect of any share held by him 
to be present or vote at a general 
meeting either personally or by 
proxy (or to exercise any other 
right in relation to meetings of the 
Company) in respect of that share 
in certain circumstances if any 
call or other sum is payable and 
remains unpaid, if the shareholder 
is in default in complying with a 
duly served notice under Section 
793(1) of the Companies Act 2006 
(CA 2006) or if the shareholder has 
failed to reply to a duly served notice 
requiring him to provide a written 
statement stating he is the beneficial 
owner of shares.

•  A notice convening a general 
meeting can contain a statement 
that a shareholder is not entitled 
to attend and vote at a general 
meeting unless his name is entered 
on the register of members of the 
Company at a specific time (not 
more than 48 hours before the 
meeting) and if a shareholder’s 
name is not so entered he is not 
entitled to attend and vote.

•  Under the Company’s articles 
of association the directors 
may, in their absolute discretion, 
refuse to register the transfer of a 
share in certified form in certain 
circumstances where the Company 
has a lien on the share (provided 
that the directors do not exercise 

their discretion so as to prevent 
dealings in partly paid shares 
from taking place on an open and 
proper basis), where a shareholder 
has failed to reply to a duly served 
notice under Section 793(1) CA 
2006 or if a transfer of a share is in 
favour of more than four persons 
jointly. In addition, the directors 
may decline to recognise any 
instrument of transfer unless it is in 
respect of only one class of share 
and is deposited at the address at 
which the register of members of 
the Company is held (or at such 
other place as the directors may 
determine) accompanied by the 
relevant share certificate(s) and 
such other evidence as the directors 
may reasonably require to show the 
right of the transferor to make the 
transfer. In respect of shares held in 
uncertificated form the directors may 
only refuse to register transfers in 
accordance with the Uncertificated 
Securities Regulations 2001 (as 
amended from time to time).

•  Under the Company’s Code 
on dealings in securities in the 
Company, persons discharging 
managerial responsibilities and 
some other senior executives may in 
certain circumstances be restricted 
as to when they can transfer shares 
in the Company.

•  There are no agreements 
between shareholders known to 
the Company which may result in 
restrictions on the transfer of shares 
or on voting rights.

•  Details of the significant holders 
of the Company’s shares are set out 
on page 35.

•  Where, under an employee share 
plan operated by the Company, 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

39

participants are the beneficial 
owners of shares but not the 
registered owner, the voting rights 
are normally exercised by the 
registered owner at the direction of 
the participant.

•  The Company’s articles of 
association may only be amended 
by special resolution at a general 
meeting of the shareholders.

•  The Company’s articles of 
association set out how directors 
are appointed and replaced. 
Directors can be appointed by the 
Board or by the shareholders in a 
general meeting. At each AGM, any 
director appointed by the Board 
since the last AGM must retire from 
office but is eligible for re-election 
by the shareholders. Furthermore, 
the Board has resolved that, in line 
with Governance Code provision 
B.7.1, all of the directors will be 
subject to annual re-election by 
shareholders. Under the CA 
2006 and the Company’s articles 
of association, a director can 
be removed from office by the 
shareholders in a general meeting.

•  The Company’s articles of 
association set out the powers of 
the directors. The business of the 
Company is to be managed by 
the directors, who may exercise all 
the powers of the Company and 
do, on behalf of the Company, all 
such acts as may be exercised and 
done by the Company and are not, 
by any relevant statutes or by the 
Company’s articles of association, 
required to be exercised or done by 
the Company in general meeting, 
subject to the provisions of any 
relevant statutes and the Company’s 
articles of association and to such 
regulations as may be prescribed by 

the Company by special resolution.

•  Under the CA 2006 and the 
Company’s articles of association, 
the directors’ powers include the 
power to allot and buy back shares 
in the Company. At each AGM, 
resolutions are proposed granting 
and setting out the limits on  
these powers.

•  The Company is not party to any 
significant agreements which take 
effect, alter or terminate upon a 
change of control of the Company, 
following a takeover bid.

•  There are no agreements 
between the Company and its 
directors or employees providing 
for compensation for loss of office 
or employment (whether through 
resignation, purported redundancy 
or otherwise) that occurs because 
of a takeover bid. Details of the 
directors’ service agreements and 
terms of appointment are set out 
in the Directors’ Remuneration 
Report on pages 40 to 51. However, 
provisions in the employee share 
plans operated by the Company 
may allow options to be exercised 
on a takeover.

Payments to suppliers

Good relationships with our 
suppliers are an important factor 
in the success of the Group. 
Payments to suppliers are made 
in accordance with the Group’s 
normal terms and conditions of 
business except where varied terms 
and conditions are agreed with 
individual suppliers, in which case 
these prevail. Where disputes arise, 
attempts are made to resolve them 
promptly and amicably to ensure 
delays in payment are kept to  
a minimum.

The average creditor payment 
period for the Company and the 
Group at 31 December 2011 was 41 
days (2010: 41 days).

Disabled employees

Applications for employment 
of disabled persons are always 
fully considered, bearing in mind 
the aptitudes of the applicant 
concerned. In the event of members 
of staff becoming disabled every 
effort is made to ensure that their 
employment within the Company 
continues and that appropriate 
training is arranged.  It is the policy 
of the Company that the training, 
career development and promotion 
of disabled persons should, as far 
as possible, be identical to that of 
other employees.

Significant relationships

The Group does not have any 
contractual or other relationships 
with any single party which are 
essential to the business of the 
Group and, therefore, no such 
relationships have been disclosed.

By order of the Board

Jonathan D Jowett 
Company Secretary 

Greggs plc (CRN 502851) 
Fernwood House 
Clayton Road 
Jesmond 
Newcastle upon Tyne 
NE2 1TL 
14 March 2012

 
 
 
40

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report

“I am pleased to introduce the Directors’ Remuneration  
Report of Greggs plc.”

Iain Ferguson, Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

The aim of Greggs’ remuneration 
policy is to align executive 
remuneration with shareholders’ 
interests and the long term 
growth of the Company. The 
Remuneration Committee 
will continue to review the 
remuneration arrangements 
on an ongoing basis to ensure 
that the structure remains 
appropriate. 

Introduction

This report has been prepared in 
accordance with the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report Regulations 
2002 (the “Regulations”). This 
report also meets the relevant 
requirements of the Listing Rules 
of the Financial Services Authority 
and the relevant provisions 
of the Companies Act 2006 
and describes how the Board 
has applied the UK Corporate 
Governance code relating to 
directors’ remuneration.

of the Directors’ Remuneration 
Report and to state whether, in their 
opinion, that part of the report has 
been properly prepared. This report 
has, therefore, been divided into 
separate sections for unaudited  
and audited information.

Unaudited information

The Remuneration Committee 
of the Board (the "Committee") 
sets the remuneration and terms 
of appointment of the executive 
directors and the Chairman on 
behalf of the Board.

The Committee was chaired by 
Julie Baddeley until 31 December 
2011, after which Iain Ferguson 
was appointed to that role.

During the course of meetings held 
in the year, items considered by the 
Committee included:

•  the targets in place for the 
Performance Share Plan;

The Regulations require the 
auditors to report to the Company’s 
members on the “auditable part” 

•  setting of objectives for the 
executive directors ensuring risk 
forms a key part of these; and

•  review of measures and targets 
to ensure that executive directors 
were not incentivised to take 
inappropriate levels of risk.

In addition, each year the 
Committee considers Greggs’ total 
remuneration policy in the context 
of market and best practice.

Jonathan Jowett (Company 
Secretary and General Counsel) 
and Roisin Currie (Group People 
Director) have supported the 
Committee in their deliberations, 
along with external consultants, 
PWC.

General policy on directors’ 
remuneration

The Committee’s policy is to 
provide competitive remuneration 
packages that will attract, retain 
and motivate individuals with 
appropriate skills and experience 
with the incentive to add 
sustainable long-term growth 
and value that will best serve 
the interests of the Company, 
its shareholders, its employees 
and customers. Base salaries 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

41

and total packages are set to 
reflect the market. They are 
regularly benchmarked by external 
consultants against the median 
level payments made to executives 
in similar roles in companies of 
comparative size, sector and 
complexity. This exercise has 
been conducted by PWC in 2011, 
however the recommendations 

Overview of remuneration policy

from this report, which were to 
increase the executives’ salaries in 
line with the market, have not been 
actioned in 2012.

performance on risk, governance, 
environmental and social issues 
when setting the remuneration of 
executive directors.

The Committee seeks to structure 
bonus arrangements that will align 
the interests of executive directors 
with those of shareholders. The 
Committee considers corporate 

Objective 

Performance period 

Basis of delivery

Base salary

Reflects market levels 
based on role and 
individual skill and 
experience

Annual Bonus  
(including Profit Share) 
Maximum earning 
opportunity of 90 per cent  
of salary for all  
executive directors 

Incentivises achievement 
of annual targets and 
objectives consistent  
with the short to medium 
term strategic needs of  
the business

Reviewed annually

Reviewed annually

Performance  
Share Plan 

Incentivises long-term  
value creation

Annual award 

Alignment with 
shareholders’ interests

Three year  
performance period

Retention incentive

Individual performance and 
contribution recognised 
to ensure market 
competitiveness

Balanced approach based 
on stretching financial 
(profit and sales) targets 
and personal objectives 
(related to functional KPIs)

Award subject to a 
combination of demanding 
TSR and EPS targets

Maximum reward will only 
occur for upper quartile 
performance

Provides a market 
competitive level of 
provision with good 
flexibility while minimising 
risk to the Company

Cost increases in line with 
base salary growth

Defined contribution 
benefits

Maximum awards  
of 90 per cent of salary for 
Chief Executive and 70 
per cent of salary for other 
executive directors

Pension

Base salary

For 2012 an increase of 2.75 per cent has been applied to the executive directors’ salaries. This has been applied in line 
with the award given to all employees across the business rather than being increased in line with market salary growth.

 
 
42

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report - continued

Annual Bonus

The Committee seeks to structure annual bonus arrangements so as to encourage sustainable growth in the 
Company’s profits and is satisfied that the structure will not raise environmental, social or governance risks by 
inadvertently encouraging irresponsible behaviour. Each executive director has a personal objective to ensure they 
monitor and take appropriate action to minimise key business risks. The Committee’s policy is that all  
bonus payments to executive directors should be non-pensionable. For 2011 the maximum target bonus levels 
were established on the following basis:

Maximum 2011 bonus achievable

Maximum bonus 
achievable as  
% of basic salary

Financial Target 
(Profit) as % of  
total bonus 
opportunity

Financial Target 
(Sales) as % of  
total bonus 
opportunity

Personal Objectives 
(related to functional 
KPI) as % of total 
bonus opportunity

Kennedy McMeikan 

90% of salary 

60% of bonus 

20% of bonus 

20% of bonus

Richard Hutton 

90% of salary 

60% of bonus 

20% of bonus 

20% of bonus

Raymond Reynolds 

90% of salary 

60% of bonus 

20% of bonus 

20% of bonus

Whilst each element could be 
measured separately, failure to 
exceed the profit level achieved 
in 2010 would have resulted in no 
bonus being earned for either the 
profit or sales elements in 2011.

Against the 2011 annual bonus 
targets, a payment of 35 per cent 
of annual salary has been earned 
by Kennedy McMeikan, 35 per 
cent by Richard Hutton and 35 
per cent by Raymond Reynolds. 
This compares to 2010 where the 
executives earned 51.0 per cent of  

salary for delivery of the annual 
bonus target.

For 2012 the maximum target 
bonus levels will continue to 
be established on the basis 
above, which the Remuneration 
Committee considers to be  
suitably challenging.

Whilst each element can be 
measured separately, failure to 
exceed the profit level achieved in 
2011 will result in no bonus being 
earned for either the profit or sales 
elements in 2012.

The Committee introduced a 
clawback clause in the Bonus 
Scheme rules in 2011 as follows:

“The Committee reserves the right 
to ’clawback’ any portion of the 
bonus payment that has been 
paid in error should it come to 
light, at a future date, that there 
was a material misstatement of 
the operating profit resulting in a 
significant over-payment”.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

43

Share based remuneration

Performance Share Plan 

Shareholder approval was obtained in 2009 for the introduction of a Performance Share Plan (’PSP’) from 2010.

The introduction of a PSP under which an award of shares is made that is in line with the level awarded under 
the previous Long Term Incentive Plan (’LTIP’), restricted for three years and vesting in full or part subject to the 
achievement of a combination of EPS growth and TSR targets, has provided a greater focus on achieving key long 
term business goals and increased shareholder value.

The awards made under the PSP in 2010 and 2011 have the following targets set:

EPS

TSR

Annual compound 
growth

Proportion of  
award vesting  
(% opportunity)

Position relative to 
appropriate group 
of FTSE 250 Food 
Producers, Retailers & 
Leisure Companies

Proportion of  
award vesting  
(% opportunity)

Failure to vest 

Less than RPI + 3%

  Threshold 

  Maximum 

RPI + 3% 

RPI + 8% 

Nil

12.5% 

50% 

Below median

At median 

Upper quartile 

Nil

12.5%

50%

Following advice received from PWC, and given the current economic climate, the Committee is satisfied 
that these targets are sufficiently challenging to ensure they drive the right behaviours whilst also rewarding 
performance. Consequently the Committee has decided that these targets will again be used for the 2012 grant.

The comparator group used in connection with the PSP was established following a comprehensive review, 
including advice taken from PWC, and now consists of 26 companies who are General Retailers, Food Producers/
Manufacturers or Leisure Companies and who were considered by the Remuneration Committee to be the most 
appropriate from the FTSE 250. Northern Foods and Robert Wiseman Dairies were removed from the list given 
their delisted status. The remaining 26 companies are:

•  Brown (N) Group

•  Carpetright

•  Cranswick

•  Dairy Crest

•  Debenhams

•  Dignity

•  Dixons Retail

•  Domino’s Pizza

•  Dunelm Group

•  Game Group

•  Greene King

•  Halfords Group

•  HMV Group

•  JD Wetherspoon

•  Inchcape

•  Kesa Electricals

•  Marston’s

•  Millennium & Copthorne Hotels

•  Mitchells & Butlers

•  Mothercare

•  Premier Foods

•  Rank Group

•  Restaurant Group

•  Sports Direct International

•  Tate & Lyle

•  WH Smith

These targets and the comparator group will remain in place for the 2012 scheme and will be reviewed by the Committee 
at the end of 2012, given that the scheme will then have been in place for three years.

44

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report - continued

Other share based 
incentive schemes 

LTIP

As previously outlined, from 2010 
a PSP has replaced the previous 
LTIP, and therefore the Committee 
will offer no further participation in 
the LTIP. In 2011, the LTIP award 
of over 180,210 shares made to 
Kennedy McMeikan when he joined 
the Company in 2008, came to 
maturity. The performance criterion 
set at the time of the award was 
not met, and therefore none of 
the options awarded have vested. 
Consequently, all options granted 
under the LTIP have either been 
exercised or lapsed.

Executive share option scheme

There have also been occasional 
grants to the executive directors 
of options over shares in the 
Company, pursuant to one 
or more of the share option 
schemes operated through the 
Committee. These include both 
Inland Revenue-approved and 
unapproved long term share 
incentive schemes, designed to 
encourage the executive directors 
and other employees to hold 
shares in the Company and to 
enhance share values.

No such awards were granted to 
executive directors in 2011.

Details of awards previously made 
to executive directors under this 
scheme are given in the audited 
section of this report on page 49.

In accordance with institutional 
investor guidelines, the total 
number of new shares and shares 
held in treasury over which the 
Company may grant options is 
limited and the Company has 
chosen to allocate a significant 
proportion of the shares available 
to the Company’s Savings-

related Share Option Scheme, 
open to all employees, including 
executive directors. Any future 
grants of executive share options 
to executive directors will be 
based upon the need to secure 
individuals of appropriate calibre, 
having regard to prevailing 
market conditions at the date of 
appointment or to help to align  
the interests of executive directors 
with those of shareholders, 
especially if the PSP is not 
available to a particular individual, 
or where the Committee considers 
it appropriate.

The above policies enable the 
executive directors to receive 
potentially significant benefits in 
addition to their base salaries, 
but only if value has been created 
for shareholders. The Committee 
considers that, although the non-
performance-related elements 
of the executive directors’ 
remuneration packages are 
substantial, the performance-
related elements are significant in 
terms of providing motivation to 
the executive directors to improve 
shareholder value.

Policy on performance 
conditions

The performance conditions 
attaching to share options granted 
to the executive directors under 
the Company’s Senior Executive 
Share Option Schemes have varied 
according to the date of grant. 
Such conditions are set by the 
Committee to establish challenging 
performance objectives linked 
to shareholder return. Executive 
directors are not eligible to have 
executive share options granted 
in the same year as participation 
in the PSP. The Committee 
intends that if any executive 
share options are granted in the 
future, performance conditions 

will continue to be settled on this 
basis. Details of the performance 
conditions for options currently 
outstanding are set out in the 
section headed ’Share options’  
on page 49.

Whether or not performance 
conditions attached to share 
options have been met is tested by 
the Committee, which compares 
the actual performance of the 
Company with relevant published 
statistics and, if necessary, obtains 
advice from external consultants in 
order to reach its conclusion.

No performance conditions have 
been attached to options granted 
pursuant to the Company’s 
Savings-Related Share Option 
Scheme, which is available to all 
employees. The principal purpose 
of this scheme is to encourage 
employees at all levels within the 
Company to participate in, and 
to understand better, the growth 
in value of the Company and the 
rules of that scheme require that 
all options granted must be on the 
same terms.

Performance criteria in relation to 
the performance-based annual 
cash bonuses payable to the 
executive directors are set by 
the Committee each year in 
accordance with the general 
remuneration policy set out above.

Policy on pensions

Until the scheme was closed 
to further accrual from 1 April 
2008, executive directors earned 
pension benefits under the Greggs 
1978 Retirement & Death Benefit 
Scheme, the Company’s defined 
benefit scheme. This scheme, 
which required a contribution of 6.6 
per cent of pensionable salaries 
from members, provided for up 
to two-thirds of final pensionable 
salary, dependent on length of 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

45

pensionable service. Since 1 April 
2008, the Company has paid 
contributions to the Company’s 
money purchase defined 
contribution pension schemes for 
all executive directors.

Due to the changes in the 
annual allowance for tax relief on 
pensions, effective from 6 April 
2011, the Committee has decided 
to allow the executive directors 
a degree of flexibility with regard 
to how they receive their pension 
contribution, with the principle 
that there should be no additional 
charge borne by the Company.

Should the executive directors wish 
to cap their pension contribution at 
£50,000, in line with the new annual 
allowance, they can do so and the 
balance of this contribution will be 
paid as a supplement in addition to 
their salary on a monthly basis.

This supplement will be subject 
to tax and NI. The employer’s 
NI charge will be borne by the 

executive directors to ensure  
there are no additional charges  
to the Company.

The executive directors will be  
able to make this choice on an 
annual basis.

The remuneration adjustment is 
disclosed on page 48.

Share Retention Guidelines

The Committee has introduced 
Share Retention Guidelines for 
executive directors. These are 
effective from 1 January 2011 and 
require executive directors to build 
up a shareholding of 100 per cent 
of their respective base salaries in 
a five year period, through shares 
matured and granted via the 
PSP and a percentage of bonus 
payment to be given as shares at 
the discretion of the Committee, 
or chosen to be taken as shares 
by the executive director. This will 
be reviewed by the Committee in 
March each year.

Kennedy McMeikan  

Richard Hutton 

Raymond Reynolds  

Number of shares held at the 
end of the year

Holding as a percentage of 
base salary for year*

2011 

72,425 

55,003 

52,440 

2010 

64,681 

35,237 

52,010 

2011 

80.2% 

104.7% 

111.9% 

2010

67.9% 

63.5% 

105.1%

*the percentage holding is calculated using the year end share price.

   
46

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report - continued

Policy on Service Contract 
Notice Periods and Payments on 
Early Termination 

The Company’s policy on the 
duration of executive directors’ 
contracts is that:

•  the Chief Executive’s service 
contract is terminable on one 
year’s notice served by either the 
Company or the director;

•  other executive directors’ 
service contracts are terminable 
on one year’s notice served by the 
Company or by six months’ notice 
served by the director; 

•  it has been agreed that future 
executive directors’ service 
contracts will be terminable on one 
year’s notice served by either party;

•  non-executive directors 
are appointed subject to the 
Company’s articles of association, 
which require them to retire and 
to seek election at the first AGM 
after appointment. Thereafter, and 
following the introduction of the UK 
Corporate Governance Code in 
June 2010, the Board has resolved 
that every director will be subject to 
annual re-election by shareholders. 
The Nominations Committee 
advises the Board as to whether 
directors should be nominated for 
re-election; and

•  it seeks mitigation of entitlements 
on termination. The Company 
does not normally make payments 
beyond its contractual obligations, 
including any payment in respect of 
notice to which a director is entitled.

Non-executive directors are not 
entitled to compensation for early 
termination of their appointments 
prior to the date on which they 
would next be due to offer 
themselves for election or  
re-election, or if not re-appointed at 
such time.

Directors’ service contracts

Details of the directors’ service 
contracts or letters of appointment 
are as follows:

Executive Directors

Kennedy McMeikan has a service 
contract with the Company dated 
8 April 2008. His continuous period 
of service with the Company 
commenced on 1 June 2008.

Richard Hutton has a service 
contract with the Company dated 
7 April 2006. His continuous period 
of service with the Company 
commenced on 1 January 1998.

Raymond Reynolds has a service 
contract with the Company dated 
18 December 2006. His continuous 
period of service with the Company 
commenced on 1 December 1986.

In addition to their base salaries, 
each is entitled to participate in the 
Company’s profit sharing scheme 
available to all employees. The 
value of this is then deducted 
from their annual bonus. They are 
also entitled to additional benefits 
including membership of the 
Company pension scheme, the 
use of a motor car, private medical 
insurance, life assurance and 
permanent health insurance.

Non-Executive Directors

In order to ensure that no director 
is involved in deciding their own 
remuneration, the fees payable 
to non-executive directors (other 
than the Chairman) are set, after 
consultation with the Chairman, 
by a committee of the Board 
consisting only of the executive 
directors (Kennedy McMeikan, 
Richard Hutton and Raymond 
Reynolds) who periodically seek 
advice from external consultants 
as to the appropriate market rates 
applicable. Such advice was 
obtained in 2011 from PWC.  

An increase in fees of 2.75 per 
cent was awarded to the Chairman 
and the non-executive directors, 
effective from 1 January 2012. This 
was applied in line with the award 
given to all employees across the 
business and did not match the 
average growth in fees across  
the market.

The basic non-executive fees for 
2012 are £38,853 per annum, 
including membership of 
committee(s) and an additional 
£5,775 for Chairmanship of 
the Audit or Remuneration 
Committee(s) and for the Senior 
Independent Director.

The non-executive directors do 
not have service contracts with the 
Company. However, each of them 
does have a letter of appointment. 
These are dated 25 February 2002 
for Derek Netherton, 1 December 
2003 for Bob Bennett, 1 March 
2005 for Julie Baddeley, 21 
February 2008 for Roger Whiteside, 
31 March 2009 for Iain Ferguson 
and 6 December 2011 for Ian 
Durant. The terms of appointment 
of each non-executive director 
require that they seek re-election 
on a regular basis in accordance 
with the articles of association of 
the Company. The fees payable to 
the non-executive directors cover 
all normal duties. In exceptional 
circumstances, where significant 
additional time commitment is 
required, the Board (or a duly 
authorised committee) may  
award additional fees. No  
right of compensation exists  
where the office is terminated,  
for whatever reason.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

47

Performance graph

The graph below shows a comparison of the total shareholder return for the Company’s shares for each of the  
last five financial years against the total shareholder return for the companies comprising the FTSE Mid 250  
Index (excluding Investment Trusts) and the FTSE 350 (excluding Investment Trusts).

These indices were chosen for this comparison because they include companies of broadly similar size to  
the Company.

  Greggs
  FTSE 350 (excluding investment trusts)
  FTSE 250 (excluding investment trusts)

48

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report - continued

Audited information 

This information relates to both the Parent Company and the Group.

Directors’ emoluments and compensation

The following tables set out details of the emoluments and compensation received or receivable by each director 
(excluding pension contributions details of which are set out below).

Salary/fees 
set for 2012 
£ 

Executive

  Salary/fees 

  Salary in lieu 
of pension 
paid in  contributions 
2011 
£ 

2011 
£ 

Estimated 
value of 
benefits 
2011 
£ 

Annual 
profit share 
2011 
£ 

Annual 
bonus 
2011 
£ 

Kennedy McMeikan 

Richard Hutton 

Raymond Reynolds 

469,397 

273,027 

243,624 

456,834  

22,334 

265,720 

237,104 

- 

19,446 

26,016  

13,911  

12,513  

8,917 

9,351 

8,344 

149,934 

83,045 

74,102  

Chairman

Derek Netherton  

126,800 

123,406 

Non-executive

Bob Bennett 

Julie Baddeley 

Roger Whiteside  

Iain Ferguson  

Ian Durant 
(appointed 5 
October 2011)

20,455 

44,630 

38,854 

44,630 

44,630 

43,435 

43,435 

37,814 

37,814 

9,066 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-  

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-  

-  

-  

- 

- 

- 

Total
2011 
£

664,035 

372,027 

351,509 

123,406

43,435 

43,435 

37,814 

37,814 

9,066 

Total 

1,306,047  

1,254,628  

41,780  

52,440   

26,612   

307,081  

1,682,541

Executive

Kennedy McMeikan  

Richard Hutton    

Raymond Reynolds  

Chairman

Derek Netherton   

Non-executive 

Bob Bennett  

Julie Baddeley 

Roger Whiteside  

Iain Ferguson  

Total  

Salary/fees 
paid in 
2010 
£ 

Estimated 
value of 
benefits 
2010 
£ 

Annual 
profit share 
2010 
£ 

Annual 
bonus 
2010 
£ 

447,000 

260,000 

232,000 

120,750 

42,500 

42,500 

37,000 

37,000 

25,550  

20,777  

12,602 

6,752 

10,170 

9,075 

221,045 

122,330 

109,155 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Total 
2010 
£

700,347 

413,277 

362,832 

120,750 

42,500 

42,500 

37,000 

37,000 

1,218,750 

58,929 

25,997 

452,530 

1,756,206

   
 
 
 
   
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

49

Share options

The following table sets out details of the executive and savings related share options (all of which were granted at a nil 
cost to the executive director concerned) held by, or granted to, each executive director during the year, according to the 
register of directors’ interests:

Number of options during the year

At 2 January 
2011 
Number

Granted
Number

Exercised 
Number

Lapsed 
Number

At 31 
December 
2011
Number

Exercise 
price 
£

Date of  
grant

Market price 
at date of 
exercise 
£

Gain on 
exercise 
£ 

Date from 
which 
exercisable

Expiry 

date Scheme

Kennedy McMeikan

80,000 

276 

-

-

Richard Hutton

- 

374

26,750 

80,000 

430 

410 

-

-

-

-

- 

374

Raymond Reynolds

26,750 

80,000 

430 

410 

-

-

-

-

- 

374

The executive directors also have 
a potential beneficial interest in the 
Greggs Employee Benefit Trust.

On each of the grants awarded 
under the Senior Executive Share 
Option Schemes, the exercise of 
the options granted was made 
conditional upon the growth in the 
Company’s basic earnings per share 
over a three year period.  On the 
grant awarded in August 2006 the 
exercise of the options granted was 
made conditional upon the average 
annual growth in the Company’s 
basic earnings per share over the 
three years from grant being greater 
than the average annual growth in the 

-

-

-

-

-

430

-

-

-

-

430

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

80,000 

3.56

Apr 09

276 

3.54

Sep 09

374 

4.53

Apr 11

26,750 

4.07

Aug 06

80,000 

3.56

Apr 09

- 

- 

- 

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Apr 12

Apr 19

Exec

Nov 12

Apr 13

SAYE

Jun 14

Nov 14

SAYE

Aug 09

Aug 16

Exec

Apr 12

Apr 19

Exec

- 

3.94

Apr 08

5.10

500

Jun 11

Nov 11

SAYE

410 

3.54

Sep 09

374 

4.53

Apr 11

26,750 

4.07

Aug 06

80,000 

3.56

Apr 09

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Nov 12

Apr 13

SAYE

Jun 14

Nov 14

SAYE

Aug 09

Aug 16

Exec

Apr 12

Apr 19

Exec

- 

3.94

Apr 08

5.24

600

Jun 11

Nov 11

SAYE

410 

374 

3.54

Sep 09

4.53

Apr 11

- 

- 

- 

- 

Nov 12

Apr 13

SAYE

Jun 14

Nov 14

SAYE

Retail Price Index over the three years. 
If earnings per share growth exceeds 
RPI growth by 3 per cent then half 
of the options will be exercisable, if 
earnings per share growth exceeds 
RPI growth by 5 per cent then all of 
the options will be exercisable and if 
earnings per share growth exceeds 
RPI growth by between 3 per cent 
and 5 per cent the number of options 
exercisable is pro-rated on a straight-
line basis.  On the grant awarded in 
April 2009 the exercise of the options 
granted was made conditional upon 
the average annual growth in the 
Company’s basic earnings per share 
over the three years from grant being 
greater than the average annual 

growth in the Retail Price Index over 
the three years.  If earnings per share 
growth exceeds RPI growth by 3 per 
cent then half of the options will be 
exercisable, if earnings per share 
growth exceeds RPI growth by 7 
per cent then all of the options will 
be exercisable and if earnings per 
share growth exceeds RPI growth by 
between 3 per cent and 7 per cent 
the number of options exercisable is 
pro-rated on a straight-line basis.

Options granted under the all 
employee SAYE scheme are not 
subject to performance conditions.

 
50

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Directors’ Remuneration Report - continued

The following table sets out details of the Long Term Incentive Plan and Performance Share Plan share options (all of which 
were granted at nil cost to the executive director concerned and subject to the performance conditions referred to on page 
43) held by, or granted to, each director during the year, according to the register of directors’ interests:

Number of options/awards

At 2 
January 
2011

Granted 
during 
2011

Exercised 
during 
2011

Lapsed 
during 
2011

At 31 
December 
2011

Date of grant

Market 
price of 
each share 
at date of 
grant 
£ 

Market price 
at date of 
exercise
 £

Gain on 
exercise 
£

Date from 
which 
exercisable

Expiry 

date Scheme

Kennedy McMeikan

Aug 08

180,210

Apr 10

82,169

-

-

Mar 11

-

79,219

-

-

-

180,210

-

3.762

-

-

82,169

4.896

79,219

5.190

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-

Aug 11

Aug 18

LTIP

Apr 13

Apr 20

PSP

Mar 14 Mar 21

PSP

Richard Hutton

Mar 08

28,460

Apr 10

37,173

-

-

Mar 11

-

35,838

Raymond Reynolds

Mar 08

25,100

Apr 10

33,169

-

-

Mar 11

-

31,979

14,329

14,131

-

4.475

5.190

74,368

Mar 11 Mar 18

LTIP

-

-

-

-

37,173

4.896

35,838

5.190

-

-

-

-

Apr 13

Apr 20

PSP

Mar 14 Mar 21

PSP

12,637

12,463

-

4.475

5.190

65,586

Mar 11 Mar 18

LTIP

-

-

-

-

33,169

4.896

31,979

5.190

-

-

-

-

Apr 13

Apr 20

PSP

Mar 14 Mar 21

PSP

No non-executive director has any options to acquire shares in the Company.

The mid-market price of ordinary shares in the Company as at 31 December 2011 was £5.060. The highest and lowest 
mid-market prices of ordinary shares during the financial year were £5.505 and £4.450 respectively.

Pensions

Until the scheme was closed to further accrual from 1 April 2008, Richard Hutton and Raymond Reynolds earned pension 
benefits under the Greggs 1978 Retirement and Death Benefit Scheme, the Company’s defined benefit scheme. This 
scheme, which required a contribution of 6.6 per cent of pensionable salary from members, provided for up to two-thirds 
of final pensionable salary, dependant on length of pensionable service. From 1 April 2008 all executive directors received 
contributions into the Company’s money purchase defined contribution pension schemes. No pension benefits were 
earned or accrued by any non-executive director.

Defined benefit scheme

The following table sets out the change in each director’s accrued pension in the Company’s defined benefit scheme 
during the year and his accrued benefits in the scheme at the year end:

Accrued 
annual 
pension 
entitlement at 
age 65 as at 1 
January 2011 
£

Accrued 
annual pension 
entitlement at 
age 65 as at 
31 December 
2011 
£

Increase 
in accrued 
pension 
entitlement for 
the year 
£

Increase 
in accrued 
pension 
entitlement for 
the year net 
of inflation of 
5.0% 
£

Transfer value 
of increase 
in accrued 
pension 
entitlement for 
the year 
£

Date of birth

Date service 
commenced

3/6/68

4/11/59

1/1/98

1/12/86

18,522

69,535

18,522

69,535 

-

- 

-

- 

-

- 

Executive Director

Richard Hutton

Raymond Reynolds

Note 1: The pension entitlement shown is that which would be paid annually on retirement based on service to the end of the year, but excluding 
any statutory increases which would be due after the year end.

Note 2: The inflation rate of 5.0% shown in the table above is that published by the Secretary of State for Social Security in accordance with 
Schedule 3 of the Pensions Schemes Act 1993.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

51

Executive Director

Richard Hutton

Raymond Reynolds

Cash equivalent 
transfer value as at  
1 January 2011
£

Cash equivalent 
transfer value as at 
31 December 2011 
£

Increase in the 
cash equivalent 
transfer value since 
1 January 2011 
£

191,497 

901,932 

225,664 

1,107,146 

- 

- 

Note: cash equivalent transfer values have been calculated in accordance with Actuaries Guidance Note GN11 and the 
increase is stated net of contributions made by the director. The transfer values disclosed above do not represent a sum 
paid or payable to the individual director.  Instead they represent a potential liability of the pension scheme.

Money purchase schemes

The Company has paid the contributions set out below to the Company’s money purchase defined contribution pension 
schemes for the benefit of executive directors during this financial year. 

Contribution in 
respect of 2011
£ 

Contribution in 
respect of 2010
£ 

43,210 

45,172 

15,095 

67,050 

33,800 

32,480 

Executive Director

Kennedy McMeikan

Richard Hutton

Raymond Reynolds

Approval by Shareholders

At the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held on 16 May 2012, a resolution approving this report is to be 
proposed as an ordinary resolution.

This report was approved by the Board on 14 March 2012.

Signed on behalf of the Board

Iain Ferguson
Director
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
14 March 2012

52

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect  
of the Annual Report and Accounts

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the Group and Parent Company accounts in 
accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare Group and Parent Company accounts for each financial year.  Under 
that law they are required to prepare the Group accounts in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and 
applicable law and have elected to prepare the Parent Company accounts on the same basis.

Under company law the directors must not approve the accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and 
fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and Parent Company and of their profit or loss for that period.  In preparing 
each of the Group and Parent Company accounts, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 
• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 
• state whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU; and 
• prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group and the Parent  
  Company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the 
Parent Company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Parent 
Company and enable them to ensure that its accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006.  They have general 
responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the Group and to 
prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

Under applicable law and regulations, the directors are also responsible for preparing a Directors’ Report, Directors’ 
Remuneration Report and Corporate Governance Statement that comply with that law and those regulations.

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on 
the Company’s website.  Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of accounts may differ 
from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The directors confirm that to the best of their knowledge:

• the accounts, prepared in accordance with the applicable set of accounting standards, give a true and fair view of   
  the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Company and the undertakings included in the consolidation  
  taken as a whole; and

• the directors’ report, which incorporates the Chairman’s statement, the Chief Executive’s report, the Financial Review  
  and the Social Responsibility statement include a fair review of the development and performance of the business   
  and the position of the Company and the undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together with  
  a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.

Kennedy McMeikan 

14 March 2012

Richard Hutton

 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

53

Independent auditor’s report to  
the members of Greggs plc

We have audited the accounts of Greggs plc for the year ended 31 December 2011 set out on pages 57 to 94.

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the EU and, as regards the Parent Company accounts, as 
applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the 
Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company’s members those 
matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted 
by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company and the Company’s members, 
as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of directors and auditor

As explained more fully in the Directors’ Responsibilities Statement set out on page 52, the directors are responsible for 
the preparation of the accounts and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view.  Our responsibility is to audit, 
and express an opinion on, the accounts in accordance with applicable law and International Standards on Auditing 
(UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards 
for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the accounts

A description of the scope of an audit of accounts is provided on the APB’s website at  
www.frc.org.uk/apb/scope/private.cfm

Opinion on accounts

In our opinion:

• the accounts give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and of the Parent Company’s affairs as at  
  31 December 2011 and of the Group’s profit for the year then ended;

• the Group accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU; 

• the Parent Company accounts have been properly prepared in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the  
  EU and as applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; and

• the accounts have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and,    
  as regards the Group accounts, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion:

• the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited has been properly prepared in accordance with the  
  Companies Act 2006;

• the information given in the Directors’ Report for the financial year for which the accounts are prepared is    
  consistent with the accounts.

 
 
 
 
54

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following:

Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept by the Parent Company, or returns adequate for our audit have not  
  been received from branches not visited by us; or 
• the Parent Company accounts and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited are not in  
  agreement with the accounting records and returns; or 
• certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or 
• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or 
• a Corporate Governance Statement has not been prepared by the Parent Company.

Under the Listing Rules we are required to review:

• the Directors’ Statement, set out on page 52 in relation to going concern; 
• the part of the Corporate Governance Statement on page 32 relating to the Company’s compliance with the  
  nine provisions of the UK Corporate Governance Code specified for our review; and 
• certain elements of the report to shareholders by the Board on Directors’ remuneration.

Nick Plumb (Senior Statutory Auditor) 
for and on behalf of KPMG Audit Plc, Statutory Auditor 
Chartered Accountants
Quayside House 
110 Quayside 
Newcastle upon Tyne 
NE1 3DX

14 March 2012

 
 
We sold over 300  
million freshly baked 
savouries in 2011. 

All our confectionery 
is hand finished.
In 2011 we sold  
5.5 million of our 
Belgian buns.

Consolidated income statement

for the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2011 (2010: 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011)

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

57

Note

2011 

2011 

2011 

2010 

Excluding 
exceptional 
items

Exceptional 
items  
(see note 4)

Total

Total

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

1

701,088 

- 

701,088 

662,326

(270,533)

(2,245)

(272,778)

(252,651)

430,555 

(2,245)

428,310 

409,675

(342,641)

(34,903)

- 

53,011 

69 

53,080 

(14,068)

- 

- 

9,665 

7,420 

- 

7,420 

(1,929)

(342,641)

(321,261)  

(34,903)

(36,049)

9,665 

- 

60,431 

52,365 

69 

158 

60,500 

52,523 

(15,997)

(14,589)

39,012  

5,491  

44,503 

37,934  

39.5p

38.8p

5.5p

5.5p

45.0p

44.3p

37.8p

37.3p

6

3–6

8

9

9

Revenue

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Distribution and selling costs

Administrative expenses

Other income

Operating profit

Finance income

Profit before tax

Income tax

Profit for the financial year attributable to 
equity holders of the parent

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

for the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2011 (2010: 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011)

Profit for the financial year

Other comprehensive income

Actuarial (losses) gains on defined benefit pension 
plans

Tax on items taken directly to equity

Other comprehensive income for the financial year, 
net of income tax

Total comprehensive income for the 
financial year

Note

20

8

     Group

2011 
£’000

2010 
£’000

44,503 

37,934 

(10,359)

2,590 

(7,769)

2,881 

(778)

2,103 

36,734 

40,037 

58

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Balance sheets

at 31 December 2011 (2010: 1 January 2011)

ASSETS
Non–current assets
Intangible assets
Property, plant and equipment
Investments

Current assets
Inventories
Trade and other receivables
Cash and cash equivalents
Other investments

Total assets

LIABILITIES
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables
Current tax liabilities
Provisions

Non–current liabilities
Other payables
Defined benefit pension liability
Deferred tax liability
Long term provisions

Total liabilities
Net assets

EQUITY
Capital and reserves
Issued capital
Share premium account
Capital redemption reserve
Retained earnings
Total equity attributable to equity holders of 
the parent

  Group

Note

2011 
£’000 

               Parent Company    
2010 
£’000 

2011 
£’000 

2010 
£’000 

10
11
12

13
14
15
12

16
17
21

18
20
19
21

22

22

289 
253,264 
- 

253,553 

14,274 
21,165 
19,508 
500 
55,447 
309,000 

(74,304)
(5,969)
(620)

(80,893)

(7,969)
(8,866)
(10,010)
(2,879)
(29,724)
(110,617)
198,383  

433 
226,150 
- 

226,583 

11,883 
22,309 
20,790 
3,000 
57,982 
284,565 

(70,246)
(6,282)
(1,018)

(77,546)

(8,439)
(8,764)
(10,924)
(2,665)
(30,792)
(108,338)
176,227 

289 
253,857 
4,987 

259,133 

14,274 
21,165 
19,508 
500 
55,447 
314,580 

(82,111)
(5,969)
(620)

(88,700)

(7,969)
(8,866)
(9,351)
(2,879)
(29,065)
(117,765)
196,815  

433 
226,743 
4,987 

232,163 

11,883 
22,309 
20,790 
3,000 
57,982 
290,145 

(78,053)
(6,282)
(1,018)

(85,353)

(8,439)
(8,764)
(10,212)
(2,665)
(30,080)
(115,433)
174,712  

2,023 
13,533 
416 
182,411 

2,023 
13,533 
416 
160,255 

2,023 
13,533 
416 
180,843 

2,023 
13,533 
416 
158,740 

198,383 

176,227 

196,815

174,712 

The accounts on pages 57 to 94 were approved by the Board of directors on 14 March 2012 and were signed on its 
behalf by:

Kennedy McMeikan 

Richard Hutton

Company Registered Number 502851 

       
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

59

Statements of changes in equity

for the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2011 (2010: 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011)

Group
52 weeks ended 1 January 2011

Attributable to equity holders of the Company

Note

Issued 
capital 

Share 
premium 

Capital 
redemption 
reserve

Retained 
earnings 

Total 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

2,080 

13,533 

359  148,265 

164,237 

- 

- 

- 

(57)

- 

- 

- 

- 

(57) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

37,934 

37,934 

2,103 

2,103 

40,037 

40,037 

57 

(12,864)

(12,864)

- 

- 

- 

- 

734 

642 

734 

642 

(17,061)

(17,061)

502 

502 

57 

(28,047)

(28,047)

2,023 

13,533 

416  160,255 

176,227 

2,023 

13,533 

416  160,255  176,227 

- 

- 

- 

-     

-

-

-

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

-

-

- 

- 

- 

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

44,503 

44,503 

(7,769)

(7,769)

36,734 

36,734 

(557)

3,266 

699 

(557)

3,266 

699 

(18,286)

(18,286)

300 

300 

(14,578)

(14,578)

2,023 

13,533 

416  182,411  198,383 

22

20

22

8

20

22

8

Balance at 3 January 2010

Total comprehensive income 
for the year

Profit for the financial year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Shares purchased and cancelled

Sale of own shares

Share-based payment transactions

Dividends to equity holders

Tax items taken directly to reserves

Total transactions with owners

Balance at 1 January 2011

52 weeks ended 31 December 2011

Balance at 2 January 2011

Total comprehensive income for 
the year

Profit for the financial year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Shares purchased

Sale of own shares

Share-based payment transactions

Dividends to equity holders

Tax items taken directly to reserves

Total transactions with owners

Balance at 31 December 2011

60

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Statements of changes in equity

(continued)

Parent Company
52 weeks ended 1 January 2011

Attributable to equity holders of the Company

Note

Issued 
capital 

Share 
premium 

Capital 
redemption 
reserve

Retained 
earnings 

Total 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

2,080 

13,533 

359 

146,777 

162,749 

7

22

20

22

8

7

20

22

8

- 

- 

- 

(57)

- 

- 

- 

- 

(57)

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

37,907 

37,907 

2,103 

2,103 

40,010 

40,010 

57 

(12,864)

(12,864)

- 

- 

- 

- 

734 

642 

734 

642 

(17,061)

(17,061)

502 

502 

57 

(28,047)

(28,047)

2,023

13,533

416 

158,740 

174,712 

2,023

13,533

416  158,740  174,712 

- 

- 

- 

-  

-

-

-

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

-

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

44,450 

44,450 

(7,769)

(7,769)

36,681 

36,681 

(557)

3,266 

699 

(557)

3,266 

699 

(18,286)

(18,286)

300 

300 

(14,578)

(14,578)

2,023 

13,533 

416  180,843  196,815 

Balance at 3 January 2010

Total comprehensive income for 
the year

Profit for the financial year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Shares purchased and cancelled

Sale of own shares

Share-based payment transactions

Dividends to equity holders

Tax items taken directly to reserves

Total transactions with owners

Balance at 1 January 2011

52 weeks ended 31 December 2011

Balance at 2 January 2011

Total comprehensive income for 
the year

Profit for the financial year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year

Transactions with owners, recorded directly 
in equity

Shares purchased

Sale of own shares

Share-based payment transactions

Dividends to equity holders

Tax items taken directly to reserves

Total transactions with owners

Balance at 31 December 2011

Statements of cashflows

for the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2011 (2010: 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011)

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

61

Operating activities

Cash generated from operations 
(see page 62)

Income tax paid

Note

             Group

                 Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

88,112 

77,826 

88,112 

77,826 

(14,334)

(15,814)

(14,334)

(15,814)

Net cash inflow from operating activities

73,778 

62,012 

73,778 

62,012 

Investing activities

Acquisition of property, plant and equipment

(62,822)

(44,672)

(62,822)

(44,672)

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and 
equipment

Interest received

Redemption / (acquisition) of  
other investments

770 

69 

815 

158 

770 

69 

815 

158 

2,500 

(3,000)

2,500 

(3,000)

6

12

Net cash outflow from investing activities

(59,483)

(46,699)

(59,483)

(46,699)

Financing activities

Sale of own shares

Shares purchased for Employee  
Benefit Trust

Shares purchased and cancelled

Dividends paid

Government grants received

3,266 

734 

3,266 

22

22

(557)

- 

(18,286)

- 

- 

(557)

(12,864)

(17,061)

49 

- 

(18,286)

- 

734 

- 

(12,864)

(17,061)

49 

Net cash outflow from financing activities

(15,577)

(29,142)

(15,577)

(29,142)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(1,282)

(13,829)

(1,282)

(13,829)

Cash and cash equivalents at the start  
of the year

Cash and cash equivalents at the end  
of the year

15

15

20,790 

34,619 

20,790 

34,619 

19,508 

20,790 

19,508 

20,790 

62

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Statements of cashflows

for the 52 weeks ended 31 December 2011 (2010: 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011)

(continued)

Cashflow statement – cash generated  
from operations

Profit for the financial year

Amortisation

Depreciation

Loss on sale of property, plant and equipment

Release of government grants

Gain arising from pension adjustment

Share-based payment expenses

Finance income

Income tax expense

(Increase) / decrease in inventories

Decrease / (increase) in receivables

Increase / (decrease) in payables

Decrease in pension liability

Decrease in provisions
Cash from operating activities

Note

       Group

    Parent Company

2011 

 £’000 

2010 

 £’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

10

11

20

6

8

44,503 

37,934 

44,450 

37,907 

144 

146 

144 

146 

30,707 

28,965 

30,707 

28,965 

512 

(470)

(9,665)

699 

(69)

15,997 

(2,391)

1,144 

7,777 

(592)

(184)
88,112 

869 

(437)

- 

642 

(158)

14,589 

3 

(1,103)

(2,467)

(687)

(470)
77,826 

512 

(470)

(9,665)

699 

(69)

16,050 

(2,391)

1,144 

7,777 

(592)

(184)
88,112 

869 

(437)

- 

642 

(158)

14,616 

3 

(1,103)

(2,467)

(687)

(470)
77,826 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

63

Notes to the consolidated accounts

Significant accounting policies

Greggs plc (‘the Company’) is a company incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The Group accounts consolidate 
those of the Company and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the ‘Group’). The Parent Company accounts 
present information about the Company as a separate entity and not about its Group.

The accounts were authorised for issue by the directors on 14 March 2012.

(a)  Statement of compliance

Both the Parent Company accounts and the Group accounts have been prepared and approved by the directors 
in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU (‘adopted IFRSs’), IFRIC 
interpretations and the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting under IFRS. On publishing the Parent 
Company accounts here together with the Group accounts, the Company is taking advantage of the exemption in 
s408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present its individual income statement and related notes that form a part of 
these approved accounts.

(b)  Basis of preparation

The accounts are presented in pounds sterling, rounded to the nearest thousand, and are prepared on the historical 
cost basis except the defined benefit pension liability, which is recognised as plan assets less the present value of 
the defined benefit obligation.

The Group’s business activities, together with the factors likely to affect its future development, performance and 
position are set out in the directors’ report and business review on pages 4 to 39. The financial position of the 
Group, its cashflows and liquidity are described in the Financial Review on pages 11 and 12. In addition note 2 
to the accounts includes the Group’s objectives, policies and processes for managing its capital; its financial risk 
management objectives; details of its financial instruments and hedging activities; and its exposures to credit risk and 
liquidity risk.

The Group has considerable financial resources and the business continues to be strongly cash generative.  As a 
consequence, the directors believe that the Group is well placed to manage its business risk successfully despite the 
current uncertain economic outlook.

After making enquiries, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the Company and the Group have adequate 
resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, they continue to adopt the 
going concern basis in preparing the annual report and accounts.

The Group chose not to restate business combinations prior to the IFRS transition date (1 January 2004), as no 
significant acquisitions had taken place during the previous ten years. The Group’s policy up to and including 1997 
was to eliminate goodwill arising upon acquisitions against reserves. Under IFRS 1 and IFRS 3, such goodwill 
remains eliminated against reserves.

The accounting policies set out below have been applied consistently throughout the Group and to all years 
presented in these consolidated accounts and are unchanged from previous years. From 2 January 2011 the 
following standards, amendments and interpretations became effective and were adopted by the Group:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Revised IAS 24 Related Party Disclosure 
Improvements to IFRSs 
IFRIC 19 Extinguishing Financial Liabilities with Equity Instruments 
Amendments to IFRIC 14 Prepayments of a Minimum Funding Requirement 
Amendment to IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation: Classification of Rights Issues 
Amendment to IAS 39 Reclassification of Financial Assets: Effective Date and Transition 
Amendments to IFRS 2 Group Cash-settled Share-based Payment Transactions

The adoption of the above has not had a significant impact on the Group’s profit for the year or equity.

 
64

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(b)  Basis of preparation (continued)

The preparation of financial information in conformity with adopted IFRSs requires management to make 
judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of policies and reported amounts of assets and 
liabilities, income and expenses. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. 
Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the year in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects 
only that year, or in the year of revision and future years if the revision affects both current and future years.

The key estimates and judgements that have the most significant impact on the accounts are as follows:

Lease classification

Judgement has to be applied as to whether the Group’s shop leases are operating leases or finance leases – see 
note 23 for how this is determined.

Post-retirement benefits

The determination of the defined benefit obligation of the Group’s defined benefit pension scheme depends on 
the selection of certain assumptions including the discount rate, inflation rate, mortality rates and expected return 
on scheme assets. Differences arising from actual experience or future changes in assumptions will be reflected in 
future years. The key assumptions made for 2011 are given in note 20.

Impairment of property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are reviewed for impairment if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the 
carrying value may not be recoverable. For example, bakery equipment may be impaired if it is no longer in use and/
or shop fittings may be impaired if sales in that shop fall. When a review for impairment is conducted, the recoverable 
amount is determined based on value in use calculations which include management’s estimates of future cashflows 
generated by the assets and an appropriate discount rate.

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Depreciation is provided so as to write down the assets to the residual values over their estimated useful lives, both of 
which require management’s judgement (see accounting policy (g)).

Provisions

Provision is required in respect of vacated properties and properties which the Group has committed to vacate and 
for which the Group has ongoing lease commitments. Management exercise judgement as to whether the property 
will be sublet to a third party taking into account current market conditions and, if so, for how long and at what 
rent, in order to estimate the future net holding cost to the Group until the lease can be exited. This estimate is then 
discounted (where the impact would be material) at a rate that reflects the current time value of money and the risks 
specific to the liability. In respect of our exit from the Belgian operation in 2008 a provision remains for the potential 
recourse of leases taken over by the new owner.

(c)  Basis of consolidation

The consolidated accounts include the results of Greggs plc and its subsidiary undertakings for the 52 weeks ended 
31 December 2011. The comparative period is the 52 weeks ended 1 January 2011.

(i)  Subsidiaries

Subsidiaries are entities controlled by the Company. Control exists where the Company has the power, directly or 
indirectly, to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities. The 
accounts of subsidiaries are included in the consolidated accounts from the date control commences until the date 
that control ceases.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

65

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(ii)  Transactions eliminated on consolidation

Intragroup balances, and any unrealised gains and losses or income and expenses arising from intragroup 
transactions, are eliminated in preparing the consolidated accounts.

(d)  Exceptional items

Exceptional items are defined as items of income and expenditure which are material and unusual in nature and 
which are considered to be of such significance that they require separate disclosure on the face of the income 
statement in accordance with IAS 1.

(e)  Foreign currency

Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the foreign exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction.  
Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet date are translated at the 
foreign exchange rate ruling at that date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured in terms of historical 
cost in a foreign currency are translated using the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Foreign exchange 
differences arising on translation are recognised in the income statement.

(f)  Intangible assets

The Group’s only intangible asset is accounting software which is measured at cost less accumulated amortisation 
and accumulated impairment losses.

Subsequent expenditure is capitalised only when it increases the future economic benefits embodied in the specific 
asset to which it relates. All other expenditure is recognised in the income statement as incurred.

Amortisation is recognised in the income statement on a straight line basis over the estimated useful lives of 
intangible assets from the date that they are available for use. The estimated useful lives for the current and 
comparative periods are five years.

(g)  Property, plant and equipment

(i)  Owned assets

Items of property, plant and equipment are stated at cost or deemed cost less accumulated depreciation (see below) 
and impairment losses (see accounting policy (k)). The cost of self-constructed assets includes the cost of materials, 
direct labour and an appropriate proportion of production overheads.

(ii)  Subsequent costs

The cost of replacing a component of an item of property, plant and equipment is recognised in the carrying amount 
of the item if it is probable that the future economic benefits embodied within the component will flow to the Group, 
and its costs can be measured reliably. The carrying value of the replaced component is derecognised. The costs of 
the day-to-day servicing of property, plant and equipment are recognised in the income statement as incurred. 

66

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(g)  Property, plant and equipment (continued)

(iii)  Depreciation

Depreciation is provided so as to write off the cost (less residual value) of each item of property, plant and equipment 
during its expected useful life using the straight line method over the following periods: 

Freehold and long leasehold buildings 
Short leasehold properties 
Plant, machinery, equipment, vehicles, 
fixtures and fittings 

40 years
10 years or length of lease if shorter

3 to 10 years

Freehold land is not depreciated.

Depreciation methods, useful lives and residual values (if not insignificant) are reassessed annually.

(iv)  Assets in the course of construction

Depreciation on these assets commences when the assets are available for use.

(h)  Investments

Non-current investments comprise investments in subsidiaries which are carried at cost less impairment.

Current investments comprise fixed-term, fixed-rate bank deposits where the term is greater than three months.

(i) 

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value. Net realisable value is the estimated selling price in 
the ordinary course of business, less the estimated costs of completion and selling expenses. The cost  
of inventories includes expenditure incurred in acquiring the inventories and direct production labour costs.

(j)  Cash and cash equivalents

‘Cash and cash equivalents’ comprises cash balances and call deposits with an original maturity of three months or 
less. Bank overdrafts that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of the Group’s cash management are 
included as a component of cash and cash equivalents for the purpose of the statement of cashflows.

 
 
 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

67

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(k)  Impairment

The carrying amounts of the Group and Company’s assets, other than inventories and deferred tax assets, are 
reviewed at each balance sheet date to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. If any such 
indication exists, the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. Impairment reviews are carried out on an individual 
shop basis unless there are a number of shops in the same location, in which case the impairment review is based 
on the location.

An impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its recoverable amount. 
Impairment losses are recognised in the income statement. Impairment losses recognised in prior years are 
assessed at each reporting date and reversed if there has been a change in the estimates used to determine the 
recoverable amount. An impairment loss is reversed only to the extent that the asset’s carrying amount does not 
exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation, if no impairment loss had  
been recognised.

(l)  Non-current assets held for sale

Non-current assets that are expected to be recovered primarily through sale rather than through continuing use 
are classified as held for sale. Immediately before classification as held for sale, the assets are remeasured in 
accordance with the Group and Company’s accounting policies. Thereafter generally the assets are measured  
at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value less cost to sell.

(m) Share capital

(i)  Repurchase of share capital

When share capital recognised as equity is repurchased, the amount of the consideration paid, including directly 
attributable costs, is recognised as a deduction from equity. Repurchased shares that are held in the Employee 
Share Ownership Plan are classified as treasury shares and are presented as a deduction from total equity.

(ii)  Dividends

Dividends are recognised as a liability in the year in which they are approved by the shareholders.

(n)  Employee share ownership plan

The Group and Parent Company accounts include the assets and related liabilities of the Greggs Employee Benefit 
Trust (‘EBT’). In both the Group and Parent Company accounts the shares held by the EBT are stated at cost and 
deducted from total equity.

(o)  Employee benefits

(i)  Defined contribution plans

Obligations for contributions to defined contribution pension plans are recognised as an expense in the income 
statement when they are due.

(ii)  Defined benefit plans

The Group and Company’s obligation in respect of defined benefit post-employment plans, including pension plans, 
is calculated by estimating the amount of the future benefit that employees have earned in return for their service 
in the current and prior years. That benefit is discounted to determine its present value and any unrecognised past 
service costs, and the fair value of any plan assets is deducted. The discount rate is the yield at the balance sheet 
date on AA credit rated bonds that have maturity dates approximating to the terms of the Group’s obligations. The 
calculation is performed by a qualified actuary using the projected unit credit method.

68

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(o)  Employee benefits (continued)

When the benefits of a plan are improved, the portion of the increased benefit relating to past service by employees 
is recognised as an expense in the income statement on a straight-line basis over the average period until the 
benefits become vested. To the extent that the benefits vest immediately, the expense is recognised immediately in 
the income statement.

The Group and Company recognise actuarial gains and losses in full, in the year in which they occur, in the statement 
of changes in equity.

(iii)  Share–based payment transactions

The share option programme allows Group employees to acquire shares of the Company. The fair value of share 
options granted is recognised as an employee expense with a corresponding increase in equity. The fair value is 
measured at grant date, using an appropriate model, taking into account the terms and conditions upon which the 
share options were granted, and is spread over the period during which the employees become unconditionally 
entitled to the options. The amount recognised as an expense is adjusted to reflect the actual number of share 
options that vest except where forfeiture is only due to share prices not achieving the threshold for vesting.

For options granted before 7 November 2002 the recognition and measurement principles of IFRS 2 have not been 
applied in accordance with the transitional provisions in IFRS 1. In addition deferred taxation has not been recognised 
on these options but is accounted for as current tax when it arises.

(p)  Provisions

A provision is recognised if, as a result of a past event, the Group has a present legal or constructive obligation 
that can be estimated reliably, and it is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the 
obligation. Provisions are determined by discounting the expected future cashflows at a pre-tax rate that reflects 
current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the liability.

(i)  Restructuring

A provision for restructuring is recognised when the Group has approved a detailed and formal restructuring plan, 
and the restructuring either has commenced or has been announced publicly. Future operating costs are not 
provided for.

(ii)  Vacant properties

Provision is made for vacant and partly sublet properties for the shorter of the remaining period of the lease and 
the period until, in the directors’ opinion, they will be able to exit the lease commitment. Significant assumptions are 
applied in making these calculations and such provisions are assessed by reference to the best available information 
at the balance sheet date.

(q)  Revenue

(i)  Goods sold

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised as income on receipt of cash and is stated after deduction of 
discounts, promotions and value-added taxation.

(r)  Government grants

Government grants are recognised in the balance sheet initially as deferred income when there is a reasonable 
assurance that they will be received and that the Group will comply with the conditions attaching to them. Grants that 
compensate the Group for expenses incurred are recognised in the income statement on a systematic basis in the 
same periods in which the expenses are incurred. Grants that compensate the Group for the cost of an asset are 
recognised in the income statement over the useful life of the asset.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

69

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(s)  Expenses

(i)  Operating lease payments

Payments under operating leases are recognised in the income statement on a straight-line basis over the term of 
the lease. Lease incentives received are recognised in the income statement as an integral part of the total lease 
expense over the term of the lease.

(t)  Finance income and expenses

(i)  Finance income

Finance income comprises interest receivable on cash balances and foreign exchange movements relating to 
overseas bank accounts. Interest income is recognised in the income statement as it accrues using the effective 
interest method.

(ii)  Finance expenses

Finance expenses comprise interest payable on borrowings and related foreign exchange movements on any Euro 
bank borrowings.

(u)  Income tax

Income tax comprises current and deferred tax. Income tax is recognised in the income statement except to the 
extent that it relates to items recognised directly in equity, in which case it is recognised in equity.

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantively 
enacted at the balance sheet date, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous years.

Deferred tax is recognised using the balance sheet liability method, providing for temporary differences between 
the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation 
purposes. The amount of deferred tax recognised is based on the expected manner of realisation or settlement of the 
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities, using tax rates that are expected to apply when the temporary differences 
reverse, based on rates enacted or substantively enacted at the balance sheet date.

Deferred tax is not recognised for the following temporary differences: the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in a 
transaction that is not a business combination and that affects neither accounting nor taxable profit, and differences 
relating to investments in subsidiaries to the extent that it is probable that they will not reverse in the foreseeable 
future.

A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available 
against which the asset can be utilised. Deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and are reduced to 
the extent that it is no longer probable that the related deferred tax benefit will be realised.

(v)  Research and development

The Company continuously strives to improve its products and processes through technical and other innovation. 
Such expenditure is typically expensed to the income statement as the related intellectual property is not capable of 
being formalised and does not always have distinguishable research and development phases.

70

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

Significant accounting policies (continued)

(w) IFRSs available for early adoption not yet applied

The following standards and amendments to standards which will be relevant to the Group, were available for early 
adoption but have not been applied in these accounts:

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 Amendments to IFRS 7 ‘Disclosures – Transfers of Financial Assets’ mandatory for accounting periods 
commencing on or after 1 July 2011.
 Amendments to IAS 12 ‘Deferred Tax: Recovery of Underlying Assets’ mandatory for accounting periods 
commencing on or after 1 January 2012.
 Amendments to IAS 1 ‘Presentation of Items of Other Comprehensive Income’ mandatory for accounting 
periods commencing on or after 1 July 2012.
 IFRS 10 ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’ and IAS 27 (2011) ‘Separate Financial Statements’ mandatory for 
accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
 IFRS 11 ‘Joint Arrangements’ and Amendments to IAS 28 (2008) ‘Investments in Associates and  
Joint Ventures’ mandatory for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
 IFRS 12 ‘Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities’ mandatory for accounting periods commencing  
on or after 1 January 2013.
 IFRS 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’ mandatory for accounting periods commencing on or after  
1 January 2013.
 Amendments to IAS 19 ‘Defined Benefit Plans’ mandatory for accounting periods commencing  
on or after 1 January 2013.
 Amendments to IFRS 7 ‘Disclosures – Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities’  
mandatory for accounting periods commencing on or after 1 January 2013.
 Amendments to IAS 32 ‘Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities’ mandatory for accounting periods 
commencing on or after 1 January 2014.
 IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’ mandatory for accounting periods commencing on or after  
1 January 2015.

None of these standards and amendments are expected to have a significant impact on the accounts when they 
are adopted except for amendments to IAS 19 ‘Defined Benefit Plans’. The amendments to IAS 19 are expected to 
reduce profit before tax and increase actuarial gains in other comprehensive income by the same amount.  There 
would be no impact on total equity. The Group does not intend to adopt this standard early and the extent of the 
impact has not been determined.

1.  Segmental analysis

The Board is considered to be the ‘chief operating decision maker’ of the Group in the context of the IFRS 8 
definition. The information which is reviewed by the Board for the purposes of assessing financial performance and 
allocating resources comprises the profit and loss account for the Company as a whole.

The Group is a centrally-managed business with an integrated supply chain. There are seven retail regions, each 
reporting to the Group Retail Director. The business performance is assessed after allocation of supply chain costs 
to the retail regions. These retail regions have similar economic characteristics, products, customers and production 
and distribution methods and have therefore been aggregated into a single reportable segment.  The segment 
results, as reported to the chief operating decision maker, are calculated under the principles of IFRS.

Products and services - the Group sells a consistent range of fresh bakery goods, sandwiches and drinks in  
its shops.

Major customers - the majority of sales are made to the general public on a cash basis. A small proportion of  
sales are made on credit to certain organisations, including wholesale customers, but these are immaterial in a 
Group context.

Geographical areas - all results arise in the UK.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

71

1.  Segmental analysis (continued)

The Board has carefully considered the requirements of IFRS 8 and concluded that, as there is only one reportable 
segment whose revenue, profits, assets and liabilities are measured and reported on a consistent basis with the 
Group financial statements no additional numerical disclosures are necessary.

2.  Financial risk management

Credit risk

Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to the Group if a customer or counterparty to a financial instrument fails to meet 
its contractual obligations.

Trade and other receivables

The Group’s exposure to credit risk is considered not to be significant as the majority of sales of goods are  
for cash. Other receivables are primarily prepaid rent and rates as well as amounts owed from HM Revenue  
& Customs in respect of VAT. The credit risk on remaining other receivables and trade receivables is therefore  
not considered significant.

Counterparty risk is also considered low. All of the Group’s surplus cash is held with highly rated banks, in line with 
Group policy.

Liquidity risk

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will not be able to meet its financial obligations as they fall due.

The Group operates with net current liabilities because the majority of sales are for cash and limited stocks are held 
given their perishable nature. It is therefore reliant on the continued strong performance of the retail portfolio to meet 
its short term liabilities. This is a well established and proven business model. Any increase in short-term liquidity risk 
can be mitigated by reducing the capital expenditure budget. The Group has cash resources at the year end, and if 
necessary, would be able to obtain substantial debt funding.

The Group has overdraft facilities of £5,000,000 of which £5,000,000 was undrawn at 31 December 2011  
(2010: £5,000,000).

Market risk

Market risk is the risk that changes in market prices, such as foreign exchange rates, interest rates and equity prices 
will affect the Group’s income or the value of its holdings of financial instruments.

Given that, as explained above, market risk is not significant, sensitivity analysis would not be meaningful.

Currency risk

The Group has no regular transactions in foreign currency although there are occasional purchases, mainly of capital 
items, denominated in foreign currency. Whilst certain costs such as electricity and wheat can be influenced by 
movements in the US dollar, actual contracts are priced in sterling. In respect of those key costs which are volatile, 
such as electricity and flour, the price may be fixed for a period of time in line with Group policy.  All such contracts 
are for the Group’s own expected usage.

Interest rate

The Group has low exposure to interest rate risk. Interest only arises on its bank deposits and overdrafts.  
Net financial income in the year was £69,000 (2010: £158,000).

Equity prices

The Group has no equity investments other than its subsidiaries.

72

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

2.  Financial risk management (continued)

Capital management 

The Board defines capital as the equity of the Group. The Group remains net cash positive with funding requirements 
met by cash generated from retail operations. The Board’s policy is to maintain a strong capital base so as to 
maintain investor, creditor and market confidence and to enable successful future development of the business. The 
Board’s policy on dividend levels is to pursue a progressive dividend policy that pays due regard to the growth of 
earnings per share over the medium term, the cash generative nature of our growing business and our continuing 
determination to deliver value to our shareholders.

The Board will continue to consider purchasing its own shares in the market dependent on market prices and surplus 
cash levels. The trustees of the Greggs Employee Benefit Trust also purchase shares for future satisfaction  
of employee share options.

Financial instruments

Group and Parent Company

All of the Group’s surplus cash is invested as cash placed on deposit or fixed-term deposits.

The Group’s treasury policy has as its principal objective the achievement of the maximum rate of return on 
cash balances whilst maintaining an acceptable level of risk. Other than mentioned below there are no financial 
instruments, derivatives or commodity contracts used.

Financial assets and liabilities

The Group’s main financial assets comprise cash and cash equivalents and fixed-term deposits. Other financial 
assets include trade receivables arising from the Group’s activities.

Other than trade and other payables, the Group had no financial liabilities within the scope of IAS 39 as at  
31 December 2011 (2010: £nil).

Fair values

The fair value of the Group’s financial assets and liabilities is not materially different from their carrying values. 
Financial assets and liabilities comprise principally of trade receivables and trade payables and the only interest 
bearing balances are the bank deposits and borrowings which attract interest at variable rate.

Interest rate, credit and foreign currency risk

The Group has not entered into any hedging transactions during the year and considers interest rate, credit and 
foreign currency risks not to be significant.

3.  Profit before tax

Profit before tax is stated after charging / (crediting)

Amortisation of intangible assets

Depreciation on owned property, plant and equipment

Loss on disposal of fixed assets 

Release of government grants

Payments under operating leases – property rents

Research and development expenditure

Auditors’ remuneration 

Audit of these accounts

Audit of previous year’s accounts

Other services pursuant to such legislation

Audit of pension schemes’ accounts

Other services relating to taxation

All other services

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

73

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

144 

146 

30,707 

28,965 

512 

(470)

869 

(437)

43,988 

41,837 

726 

157 

- 

3 

7 

70 

6 

416 

153 

30 

3 

7 

137 

4 

Amounts paid to the Company’s auditor in respect of services to the Company, other than the audit of the Company’s 
accounts, have not been disclosed as the information is required instead to be presented on a consolidated basis.

4.  Exceptional items

Cost of sales

Closure of Penrith bakery – asset write-down and redundancy

Closure of Gosforth bakery

- asset write-down

- lease costs

Administrative expenses

Pension amendment – see below

Total exceptional items

There were no exceptional items in 2010.

Pension amendment

2011 

£’000 

(441)

(704) 

(1,100) 

(2,245)

9,665 

7,420 

Following the UK Government’s legislation announced in July 2010 that requires statutory indexation of pension 
benefits to be based on CPI rather than RPI, the Group informed pension members in April 2011 that this 
amendment would be applied to the Group’s defined benefit pension scheme. The exceptional credit represents the 
ensuing reduction in the net pension liability.

74

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

5.  Personnel expenses

The average number of persons employed by the Group (including directors) during the year was as follows:

Management

Administration

Production

Shop

The aggregate personnel costs of these persons were as follows:

Wages and salaries

Compulsory social security contributions

Pension costs - defined contribution plans

Pension costs - defined benefit plans

Equity settled transactions

Group and Parent Company

2011 

2010 

Number 

Number 

697 

412 

2,778 

15,617 

19,504 

718 

438 

2,845 

15,180 

19,181 

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

259,274 

251,982 

18,805 

5,850 

(592)

699 

19,238 

3,538 

(87)

642 

284,036 

275,313 

Note

20

20

20

Included within wages and salaries, the total amount paid out under the Group’s employee profit sharing scheme is 
contained within the main cost categories as follows:

Cost of sales

Distribution and selling costs

Administrative expenses

2011 

£’000 

1,530 

3,652 

708 

5,890 

2010 

£’000 

1,513 

3,607 

698 

5,818 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

75

2011 

£’000 

56 

13 

 69 

2010 

£’000 

165 

(7)

158 

6.  Finance income

Interest income on cash balances

Foreign exchange gain / (loss)

7.  Profit attributable to Greggs plc

Of the Group profit for the year, £44,450,000 (2010: £37,907,000) is dealt with in the accounts of the Parent Company.  
The Company has taken advantage of the exemption permitted by section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 from 
presenting its own income statement.

8. 

Income tax expense

Recognised in the income statement

Current tax expense

Current year

Adjustment for prior years

Deferred tax expense

Origination and reversal of temporary differences

Reduction in tax rate

Adjustment for prior years

Total income tax expense in income statement

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

15,044 

(1,007)

14,037 

16,200 

(2,961)

13,239 

2,174 

(809)

595 

1,960 

15,997 

(222)

(405)

1,977 

1,350 

14,589 

76

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

8. 

Income tax expense (continued)

Reconciliation of effective tax rate

Profit before tax

Income tax using the domestic corporation tax rate

Non-deductible expenses

Non-qualifying depreciation

Disposal of non-qualifying assets

Impact of reduction in deferred tax rate

Adjustment re prior years

Total income tax expense in income statement

2011 

26.5%

0.9%

1.3%

0.0%

(1.6%)

(0.7%)

26.4%

2011 

£’000 

60,500 

16,033 

523 

773 

- 

(920)

(412)

15,997 

2010 

28.0%

1.1%

1.4%

(0.1%)

(0.8%)

(1.8%)

27.8%

2010 

£’000 

52,523 

14,706 

582 

728 

(38)

(405)

(984)

14,589 

On 5 July 2011 a reduction in the rate of corporation tax from 26% to 25% was substantively enacted to take effect 
from 1 April 2012. Any timing differences which reverse before 1 April 2012 will be charged / credited at  
26% and any timing differences which exist at 1 April 2012 will reverse at 25%.

The Chancellor has also announced further annual reductions to the main rate of corporation tax of 1% per annum 
from 1 April 2012 until the main rate of UK corporation tax reaches 23% with effect from 1 April 2014. 

Tax recognised directly in equity

Debit / (credit) to equity:

Relating to equity-settled transactions

Relating to defined benefit plans –  
actuarial gains / (losses)

9.  Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share

2011 

2011 

Current tax  Deferred tax 

£’000 

£’000

2011 

Total 

£’000 

(16)

- 

(16)

(284)

(300)

(2,590)

(2,590)

(2,874)

(2,890)

2010 

Total 

£’000 

(502)

778 

276 

Basic earnings per share for the year ended 31 December 2011 are calculated by dividing profit attributable to 
ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year ended  
31 December 2011 as calculated below.

Diluted earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share for the year ended 31 December 2011 are calculated by dividing profit attributable to 
ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares, adjusted for the effects of all dilutive 
potential ordinary shares (which comprise share options granted to employees) outstanding during the year ended 
31 December 2011 as calculated below.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

77

9.  Earnings per share (continued)

Profit attributable to ordinary shareholders

Profit for the financial year attributable to equity holders of 
the Parent

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

Weighted average number of ordinary shares

2011 
Excluding 
exceptional 
items
£’000

2011 

2011 

Exceptional 
items

Total

2010 

Total

£’000

£’000 

£’000 

39,012 

5,491 

44,503 

37,934 

39.5p

38.8p

5.5p

5.5p

45.0p

44.3p

37.8p

37.3p

Issued ordinary shares at start of year

Effect of own shares held

Effect of shares purchased and cancelled

Weighted average number of ordinary shares during the year

Effect of share options on issue

2011 

2010 

Number 

Number 

101,155,901  103,990,470 

(2,194,189)

(2,753,645)

 -

(959,689)

98,961,712  100,277,136

1,512,151 

1,326,346

Weighted average number of ordinary shares (diluted) during the year

100,473,863  101,603,482

10.  Intangible assets

Group and Parent Company

Cost

Balance at 3 January 2010, 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011

Amortisation

Balance at 3 January 2010

Amortisation charge for the year

Balance at 1 January 2011

Balance at 2 January 2011

Amortisation charge for the year

Balance at 31 December 2011

Carrying amounts

At 3 January 2010 

At 1 January 2011

At 2 January 2011

At 31 December 2011

Software

£’000 

686 

107 

146 

253 

253 

144 

397 

579 

433 

433 

289 

78

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

11.  Property, plant and equipment

Group

Cost

Balance at 3 January 2010

Additions

Disposals

Reclassification

Land and 
buildings 

Plant and 
equipment 

Fixtures 
and fittings 

Under 
construction 

Total

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

115,784 

812 

(38)

(354)

95,366 

10,543 

(5,165)

4,834 

170,698 

26,445 

(8,070)

(4,480)

- 

381,848 

7,844 

- 

- 

45,644 

(13,273)

- 

Balance at 1 January 2011

116,204 

105,578 

184,593 

7,844 

414,219 

Balance at 2 January 2011

116,204 

105,578 

184,593 

7,844 

414,219 

Additions

Disposals

Reclassification

14,012 

(23) 

5,391 

13,514 

(5,570)

1,905 

31,577 

(7,563)

- 

- 

548 

(7,844)

Balance at 31 December 2011

135,584

115,427 

209,155 

Depreciation

Balance at 3 January 2010

Depreciation charge for the year

Disposals

Reclassification

Balance at 1 January 2011

Balance at 2 January 2011

Depreciation charge for the year

Disposals

Balance at 31 December 2011

Carrying amounts

At 3 January 2010

At 1 January 2011

At 2 January 2011

At 31 December 2011

19,314 

2,995 

(38)

738 

23,009 

23,009 

3,186 

(23)

26,172 

96,470 

93,195 

93,195 

109,412 

60,302 

9,865 

(5,011)

1,799 

66,955 

66,955 

9,790 

(5,272)

71,473 

35,064 

38,623 

38,623 

43,954 

91,077 

16,105 

(6,540)

(2,537)

98,105 

98,105 

17,731 

(6,579)

109,257 

79,621 

86,488 

86,488 

99,898 

59,103 

(13,156)

- 

460,166 

170,693 

28,965 

(11,589)

- 

188,069 

188,069 

30,707 

(11,874)

206,902 

211,155 

226,150 

226,150 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

7,844 

7,844 

- 

253,264 

 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

79

11.  Property, plant and equipment (continued)

Parent Company

Cost

Balance at 3 January 2010

Additions

Disposals

Reclassification

Land and 
buildings 

Plant and 
equipment

Fixtures  
and fittings

Under  
construction

Total

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

116,294 

812 

(38)

(354)

95,899 

10,543 

(5,165)

4,834 

171,186 

26,445 

(8,070)

(4,480)

- 

383,379 

7,844 

- 

- 

45,644 

(13,273)

- 

Balance at 1 January 2011

116,714 

106,111

185,081 

7,844 

415,750 

Balance at 2 January 2011

116,714 

106,111

185,081 

7,844 

415,750 

Additions

Disposals

Reclassification

14,012 

(23)

5,391 

13,514 

(5,570)

1,905 

31,577 

(7,563)

- 

- 

548 

(7,844)

Balance at 31 December 2011

136,094 

115,960 

209,643 

Depreciation

Balance at 3 January 2010

Depreciation charge for the year

Disposals

Reclassification

Balance at 1 January 2011

Balance at 2 January 2011

Depreciation charge for the year

Disposals

Balance at 31 December 2011

Carrying amounts

At 3 January 2010

At 1 January 2011

At 2 January 2011

At 31 December 2011

19,591 

2,995 

(38)

738 

23,286 

23,286 

3,186 

(23)

26,449 

96,703 

93,428 

93,428 

109,645 

60,572 

9,865 

(5,011)

1,799 

67,225 

67,225 

9,790 

(5,272)

71,743 

35,327 

38,886 

38,886 

44,217

91,468 

16,105 

(6,540)

(2,537)

98,496 

98,496 

17,731 

(6,579)

109,648 

79,718 

86,585 

86,585 

99,995

59,103 

(13,156)

- 

461,697 

171,631 

28,965 

(11,589)

-  

189,007 

189,007 

30,707 

(11,874)

207,840 

211,748 

226,743 

226,743 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

-  

- 

- 

7,844 

7,844 

- 

253,857 

80

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

11.  Property, plant and equipment (continued)

Land and buildings

The carrying amount of land and building comprises:

Freehold property

Long leasehold property

Short leasehold property

               Group

                 Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

109,277 

92,411 

109,510 

92,644 

8 

127 

626 

158 

8 

127 

626 

158 

109,412 

93,195 

109,645 

93,428 

Property, plant and equipment under construction

Assets under construction at 1 January 2011 comprised new bakeries and equipment for new shops not yet fitted. 
Construction of these assets was completed during 2011.  There were no assets under construction at  
31 December 2011.

12.  Investments

Non-current investments 

Parent Company

Cost

As at 3 January 2010, 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2011 

Impairment

As at 3 January 2010 

Impairment charge for the year

As at 1 January 2011

As at 2 January 2011 

Impairment charge for the year

As at 31 December 2011

Carrying amount

As at 3 January 2010 

As at 1 January 2011

As at 2 January 2011

As at 31 December 2011

Shares in subsidiary undertakings 

£’000 

5,828 

638 

203 

841 

841 

-

841 

5,190 

4,987 

4,987 

4,987 

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

81

12.  Investments (continued)

The Company’s subsidiary undertakings, which are all wholly owned, are as follows:

Principal activity

Country of incorporation

Charles Bragg (Bakers) Limited
Greggs (Leasing) Limited
Thurston Parfitt Limited
Greggs Properties Limited
Olivers (U.K.) Limited
Olivers (U.K.) Development Limited*
Birketts Holdings Limited
J.R. Birkett and Sons Limited*
Greggs Trustees Limited

* held indirectly

Current investments

Non-trading
Dormant
Non-trading
Property holding
Dormant
Non-trading
Dormant
Non-trading
Trustees

Fixed rate bond

13.  Inventories

Raw materials and consumables

Work in progress

14.  Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables

Other receivables

Prepayments

England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales
Scotland
Scotland
England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

500 

3,000 

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

10,757 

3,517 

14,274 

2010 

£’000 

9,105 

2,778 

11,883 

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

1,119 

5,073 

14,973 

21,165 

2010 

£’000 

1,690 

4,419 

16,200 

22,309 

No amounts are overdue and there is no provision for impairment in the current or prior year.

82

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

15.  Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents 

16.  Trade and other payables

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

19,508 

20,790 

       Group

       Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

Trade payables

37,346 

33,382 

37,346 

33,382 

Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings

Other taxes and social security

Other payables

Accruals and deferred income

Deferred government grants

17.  Current tax liability

- 

7,511 

15,781 

13,198 

468 

- 

7,439 

13,326 

15,631 

468 

7,807 

7,511 

15,781 

13,198 

468 

7,807 

7,439 

13,326 

15,631 

468 

74,304 

70,246 

82,111 

78,053 

The current tax liability of £5,969,000 in the Group and the Parent Company (2010: Group and Parent Company 
£6,282,000) represents the estimated amount of income taxes payable in respect of current and prior years.

18.  Other payables

Deferred government grants

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

7,969 

8,439 

The Group has been awarded five government grants relating to the extension of existing facilities and construction of 
new facilities.  The grants, which have all been recognised as deferred income, are being amortised over the weighted 
average of the useful lives of the assets they have been used to acquire.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

83

19.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities

Group

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are attributable to the following:

   Assets

   Liabilities

   Net

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

Property, plant and equipment

- 

- 

13,986 

15,485 

13,986 

15,485 

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

(3,788)

(3,571)

(188)

(990)

- 

- 

- 

- 

(3,788)

(3,571)

(188)

(990)

Tax (assets) / liabilities

(3,976)

(4,561)

13,986 

15,485 

10,010 

10,924 

The movements in temporary differences during the year ended 1 January 2011 were as follows:

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

Balance at 3  
January 2010 

Recognised 
 in income

Recognised 
in equity

Balance at 1  
January 2011 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

14,385 

(4,004)

(1,083)

9,298 

1,100 

157 

93 

1,350 

- 

276 

- 

276 

15,485 

(3,571)

(990)

10,924 

The movements in temporary differences during the year ended 31 December 2011 were as follows:

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

Balance at 2  
January 2011  

Recognised 
in income

Recognised 
in equity

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

Balance at  
31 December  
2011 
£’000 

15,485 

(3,571)

(990)

10,924 

(1,499)

2,657 

802 

1,960 

- 

(2,874)

- 

(2,874)

13,986 

(3,788)

(188)

10,010 

84

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

19.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities (continued)

Parent Company

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are attributable to the following:

          Assets

         Liabilities

         Net

2011 

£’000

2010 

£’000

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

Property, plant and equipment

- 

- 

13,327 

14,773 

13,327 

14,773 

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

(3,788)

(3,571)

(188)

(990)

- 

- 

- 

- 

(3,788)

(3,571)

(188)

(990)

Tax (assets) / liabilities

(3,976)

(4,561)

13,327

14,773 

9,351 

10,212 

The movements in temporary differences during the year ended 1 January 2011 were as follows:

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

Balance at 3  
January 2010 

Recognised in 
income

Recognised 
in equity

Balance at 1  
January 2011 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

13,646 

(4,004)

(1,083)

8,559 

1,127 

157 

93 

1,377 

- 

276 

- 

276 

14,773 

(3,571)

(990)

10,212 

The movements in temporary differences during the year ended 31 December 2011 were as follows:

Property, plant and equipment

Employee benefits

Short-term temporary differences

Balance at 2  
January 2011  

Recognised in 
income

Recognised 
in equity

£’000 

£’000 

£’000 

Balance at  31 
December  
2011 
£’000 

14,773 

(3,571)

(990)

10,212 

(1,446)

2,657 

802 

2,013 

- 

(2,874)

- 

(2,874)

13,327 

(3,788)

(188)

9,351 

 
 
Annual Report & Accounts 2011

85

20.  Employee benefits

Defined benefit plan

The Group makes contributions to a defined benefit (final salary) plan that provides pension benefits for 
employees upon retirement.

Present value of funded obligations

Fair value of plan assets

Recognised liability for defined benefit obligations

This scheme was closed to future accrual in 2008.

Liability for defined benefit obligations

Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation are as follows:

Opening defined benefit obligation

Interest cost

Actuarial losses 

Past service cost – adjustment from RPI to CPI

Benefits paid

Changes in the fair value of plan assets are as follows:

Opening fair value of plan assets

Expected return

Actuarial (losses) / gains

Contributions by employer

Benefits paid

Closing fair value of plan assets

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

(87,809)

(92,544)

78,943 

(8,866)

83,780 

(8,764)

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

92,544 

87,211 

4,758 

3,035 

(9,665)

(2,863)

87,809 

4,993 

2,800 

- 

(2,460)

 92,544 

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

83,780 

5,350 

(7,324)

- 

(2,863)

78,943 

2010 

£’000 

74,879 

5,080 

5,681 

600 

(2,460)

83,780 

86

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

The amounts recognised in the income statement are as follows:

Interest on obligation

Expected return on plan assets

Total included in employee benefit expense

Past service cost – adjustment from RPI to CPI

The credit is recognised in the following line items of the income statement:

Administrative expenses

Exceptional item – other income

             Group

2011 

£’000 

4,758 

(5,350)

(592)

(9,665)

(10,257)

             Group

2011 

£’000 

(592)

(9,665)

(10,257)

2010 

£’000 

4,993 

(5,080)

 (87)

- 

(87)

2010 

£’000 

(87)

- 

(87)

Cumulative actuarial gains and losses reported in the statement of recognised income and expenses since 28 
December 2003, the transition date to adopted IFRSs, for the Group and the Parent Company are net losses of 
£26,109,000 (2010: net losses of £15,750,000).

The fair value of the plan assets and the return on those assets were as follows:

Equities

Bonds

Property

Cash/other

Actual return on plan assets

Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

53,129 

21,315 

1,974 

2,525 

78,943 

(1,974)

2010 

£’000 

58,705 

20,404 

1,411 

3,260 

83,780 

10,761 

The plan assets include ordinary shares issued by the Company with a fair value of £2,656,000  
(2010: £2,441,000).

The expected rates of return on plan assets are determined by reference to relevant indices. The overall expected 
rate of return is calculated by weighting the individual rates in accordance with the anticipated balance in the plan’s 
investment portfolio.

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

Principal actuarial assumptions (expressed as weighted averages):

Discount rate

Expected rate of return on plan assets

Future salary increases

Future pension increases

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

87

Group and Parent Company

2011 

4.8%

6.1%

n/a  

2.3%

2010 

5.5%

6.5%

n/a  

3.0%

Mortality rate assumptions have been taken from the A92 pre-retirement and AP92c2025 post-retirement tables.  
The mortality assumptions take account of experience to date, and assumptions for further improvements in life 
expectancy of scheme members.

Examples of the resulting life expectancies are as follows: 

Life expectancy from age 65 (years)

2011

2010

Male

Female

Male 

Female 

Member aged 65 in 2011

Member aged 65 in 2030

21.9

23.2

24.2

25.8

21.4

23.4

23.9

25.7

The other demographic assumptions have been set having regard to latest trends in the scheme.

History of plan

The history of the plan for current and prior years is as follows:

        Group and Parent Company

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

Present value of defined benefit obligation

(87,809)

(92,544)

Fair value of plan assets

Deficit

78,943 

(8,866)

83,780 

(8,764)

2009 

£’000 

(87,211)

74,879 

(12,332)

2008 

£’000 

(69,563)

63,830 

(5,733)

2007 

£’000 

(78,461)

77,781 

(680)

88

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

Experience adjustments:

2011
£’000 

Group and Parent Company
2009
£’000 

2008
£’000 

2010
£’000 

2007
£’000 

Experience adjustments on 
plan liabilities

Experience adjustments on 
plan assets

Net actuarial experience 
adjustments

(3,035)  3.5% (2,800)

3.0% (15,538) 17.8% 5,133  7.4% 2,207  2.8%

(7,324)

9.3% 5,681 

6.8% 8,618

11.5% (17,747) 27.8% (797) 1.0%

(10,359)

2,881

(6,920)

(12,614)

1,410 

The Group expects to contribute £nil to its defined benefit plan in 2012.

Defined contribution plan

The Company also operates defined contribution schemes for eligible employees. The assets of the schemes are 
held separately from those of the Group. The pension cost represents contributions payable by the Group and 
amounted to £5,850,000 (2010: £3,538,000) in the year.  

Share-based payments – Group and Parent Company

The Group has established a Savings-Related Share Option Scheme, which granted options in April 2003, 
September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, April 2008, September 2009 and April 2011, and an Executive 
Share Option Scheme, which granted options in September 2003, March 2004, August 2004, September 2004, 
August 2006, April 2008, April 2009 and August 2011.

Both of these schemes also made grants of options prior to 7 November 2002. The recognition and measurement 
principles of IFRS 2 have not been applied to these grants in accordance with the transitional provisions in IFRS 1 
and IFRS 2.

The Company established a Long Term Incentive Plan in 2006 and grants of options have been made under this 
scheme in March 2007, March 2008 and August 2008.

The Company established a Performance Share Plan in 2009 and grants of options have been made under this 
scheme in April 2010 and March 2011.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

89

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

The terms and conditions of the grants are as follows, whereby all options are settled by physical delivery of shares:

Date of 
grant

Employees 
entitled

Exercise 
price

Number of 
shares granted

Vesting 
conditions

Contractual life

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 8

April 2002

Senior 
employees

352p

88,000

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 2-4% 
over RPI on average over those three years

7 to 10 years

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 9

September 
2003

Senior 
employees

310p

82,500

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 2% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 11 

August 2004 Senior 

340p

930,000

employees

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-5% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

September 
2004

Senior 
employees

348p

24,000

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-5% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 12

August 2006 Senior 

407p

1,028,000

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-5% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

Long Term Incentive 
Plan 2

March 2008

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 13

April 2008

nil

126,600

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-10% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

457p

618,500

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-5% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

April 2008

All employees

393p

761,020

Three years’ service

3.5 years

Savings-Related Share 
Option Scheme 10

Long Term Incentive 
Plan 3

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 14

April 2009

Savings-Related Share 
Option Scheme 11

September 
2009

Performance Share Plan 1 April 2010

August 2008 Senior 

nil

180,210

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-10% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

356p

2,012,000

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-7% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

All employees

354p

717,837

Three years’ service

Senior 
executives

nil

270,521

Three years’ service, EPS annual compound 
growth of 3-8% over RPI over those three years 
and TSR position relative to an appropriate 
comparator group

3.5 years

10 years

employees

Senior 
executives

Senior 
employees

executives

Senior 
employees

Performance Share Plan 2 March 2011

Senior 
executives

nil

223,418

Three years’ service, EPS annual compound 
growth of 3-8% over RPI over those three years 
and TSR position relative to an appropriate 
comparator group

10 years

Savings-Related Share 
Option Scheme 12

Executive Share Option 
Scheme 15

April 2011

All employees

453p

697,609

Three years’ service

3.5 years

August 2011 Senior 

482p

707,000

employees

Three years’ service and EPS growth of 3-7% 
over RPI on average over those three years

10 years

90

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

The number and weighted average exercise price of share options is as follows:

Outstanding at the beginning of the year

Lapsed during the year

Exercised during the year

Granted during the year

Outstanding at the end of the year

    2011

     2010

Number of 
options

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price

Number of 
options

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price

334p

273p

370p

403p

360p

4,953,261 

(764,978)

(831,308)

1,621,027 

4,978,002 

353p

371p

302p

nil

5,273,920 

(420,053)

(171,127)

270,521 

334p

4,953,261 

Exercisable at the end of the year

415p

719,826 

386p

696,147 

The options outstanding at 31 December 2011 have an exercise price in the range of £nil to £4.82 and have a 
weighted average contractual life of 6 years.  The options exercised during the year had a weighted average market 
value of £5.25 (2010: £4.74).

The fair value of services received in return for share options granted are measured by reference to the fair value of 
share options granted.  The estimate of the fair value of the services received is measured based on the  
Black-Scholes model.  The contractual life of the option is used as an input into this model.

2011

Performance 
Share Plan 2

Savings Related 
Share Options 
Scheme 12

Executive 
Share Option 
Scheme 15

    2010

Performance 
Share Plan 1

March 2011

April 2011

August 2011

April 2010

467p

519p

nil 

26.2%

3 years

3.50%

1.83%

91p

503p

453p

26.2%

3 years

3.62%

1.93%

56p

482p

482p

24.3%

3 years

3.83%

0.84%

442p

490p

nil

26.2%

3 years

3.39%

1.88%

Fair value at grant date

Share price

Exercise price

Expected volatility

Option life

Expected dividend yield

Risk-free rate

The expected volatility is based on historical volatility, adjusted for any expected changes to future volatility due  
to publicly-available information. The historical volatility is calculated using a weekly rolling share price for the three 
year period immediately prior to the option grant date.

Share options are granted under a service condition and, for grants to senior employees, a non-market performance 
condition. Such conditions are not taken into account in the grant date fair value measurement of the services 
received. There are no market conditions associated with the share option grants.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

91

20.  Employee benefits (continued)

The costs charged to the income statement relating to share-based payments were as follows:

Share options granted in 2006

Share options granted in 2007

Share options granted in 2008

Share options granted in 2009

Share options granted in 2010

Share options granted in 2011

Total expense recognised as employee costs

21.  Provisions

Balance at start of year

Additional provision in the year

Utilised in year

Provisions reversed during the year

Balance at end of year

Included in current liabilities

Included in non-current liabilities

2011 

£’000 

61 

-     

(192)

362 

187 

281 

699 

2010 

£’000 

84 

(10)

30 

398 

 140 

- 

642 

Group and Parent Company

Vacated Property Provision

2011 

£’000 

3,683 

1,870 

(955)

(1,099)

3,499 

620 

2,879 

3,499 

2010 

£’000 

4,153 

451 

(379)

(542)

3,683

1,018 

2,665 

3,683 

The vacated property provision relates to costs in respect of the vacation of properties and in particular the onerous 
lease and other commitments associated with the vacation of a property. Included within the provision is £199,000 in 
respect of possible recourse on leases transferred to the purchaser on the sale of the Belgian operation.

Provisions reversed during the year relate to leases which have been successfully exited on more favourable terms 
than previously anticipated.

The key area of uncertainty relates to the net future rental costs to be incurred on vacated properties and, in particular, 
whether the properties can be sublet until lease exit. The provision assumes that subletting is unlikely in the current 
climate. For shops, the provision is expected to be substantially utilised within three years such, that the impact of 
discounting would not be material. For bakeries, the period over which the provision will be utilised is less certain and 
the provision is discounted over an appropriate period.

92

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

22.  Capital and reserves

Share capital and share premium

Ordinary shares

2011 

2010 

Number

Number

In issue and fully paid at start of year – ordinary shares of 2p (2010: 2p)

101,155,901  103,990,470 

Purchased and cancelled

- 

(2,834,569)

In issue and fully paid at the end of the year – ordinary shares of 2p

101,155,901  101,155,901 

The holders of ordinary shares are entitled to receive dividends as declared from time to time and are entitled to one 
vote per share at meetings of the Company. During 2010 2,834,569 shares with a nominal value of £57,000 were 
purchased for cancellation for a consideration of £12,864,000.

Capital redemption reserve

The capital redemption reserve relates to the nominal value of issued share capital bought back by the Company 
and cancelled.

Own shares held

Deducted from retained earnings is £8,618,000 (2010: £11,327,000) in respect of own shares held by the  
Greggs Employee Benefit Trust.  The Trust, which was established during 1988 to act as a repository of issued 
Company shares, holds 1,929,034 shares (2010: 2,677,620 shares) with a market value at 31 December 2011  
of £9,861,000 (2010: £12,451,000) which have not vested unconditionally in employees.

The shares held by the Greggs Employee Benefit Trust can be purchased either by employees on the exercise of 
an option under the Greggs Executive Share Option Schemes, Greggs Savings Related Share Option Schemes 
and Greggs Performance Share Plan or by the trustees of the Greggs Employee Share Scheme. The trustees have 
elected to waive the dividends payable on these shares.

Dividends

The following tables analyse dividends when paid and the year to which they relate:

2009 final dividend 

2010 interim dividend

2010 final dividend

2011 interim dividend

2011 

2010 

Per share 

Per share 

pence 

pence 

- 

- 

12.7p

5.8p

18.5p

11.4p

5.5p

- 

- 

16.9p

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

93

22.  Capital and reserves (continued)

The proposed final dividend in respect of 2011 amounts to 13.5 pence per share (£13,656,000).  This proposed 
dividend is subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting and has not been included as a liability in  
these accounts.

2009 final dividend

2010 interim dividend

2010 final dividend

2011 interim dividend

23.  Operating leases

Non-cancellable operating lease rentals are payable as follows:

Less than one year

Between one and five years

More than five years

2011 

£’000 

- 

- 

12,528 

5,758 

18,286 

2010 

£’000 

11,553 

5,508 

- 

- 

17,061 

2011 

£’000 

39,076 

97,089 

26,060 

2010 

£’000 

37,047 

100,655 

28,229 

162,225 

165,931 

The Group leases the majority of its shops under operating leases. The leases typically run for a period of ten years, 
with an option to renew the lease after that date. Lease payments are generally increased every five years to reflect 
market rentals. For a small number of the leases the rental is contingent on the level of turnover achieved in the 
relevant unit.

The inception of the shop leases has taken place over a long period of time and many date back a significant 
number of years.They are combined leases of land and buildings. It is not possible to obtain a reliable estimate  
of the split of the fair values of the lease interest between land and buildings at inception. Therefore, in determining 
lease classification, the Group evaluated whether both parts are clearly an operating lease or a finance lease. 
Firstly, title does not pass for the land or building. Secondly, because the rent paid to the landlord for the buildings is 
increased to market rent at regular intervals, and the Group does not participate in the residual value of the land or 
building it is judged that substantially all the risks and rewards of the land and building are with the landlord. Based 
on these qualitative factors it is concluded that the leases are operating leases.

94

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Notes to the consolidated accounts

(continued)

24.  Capital commitments

During the year ended 31 December 2011, the Group entered into contracts to purchase property, plant and 
equipment for £4,677,000 (2010: £6,004,000). These commitments are expected to be settled in the following 
financial year.

25.  Related parties

Identity of related parties

The Group has a related party relationship with its subsidiaries (see note 12) and its directors and executive officers.

Trading transactions with subsidiaries – Group

There have been no transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries during the year (2010: £nil).

Trading transactions with subsidiaries – Parent Company

       Amounts owed to 
       related parties

       Amounts owed by 
       related parties

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

2011 

£’000 

2010 

£’000 

Dormant subsidiaries

7,807 

7,807 

- 

- 

The Greggs Foundation is also a related party and during the year the Company made a donation to the Greggs 
Foundation of £650,000 (see Social Responsibility on pages 17 to 25 ).

Transactions with key management personnel

The directors are the key management personnel of the Group.  The Company has been notified of the following 
interests of the directors who served during the year (including those of their connected persons but excluding 
interests in shares pursuant to unexercised share options) in the share capital of the Company as follows:

Ordinary shares of 2p

  (Beneficial interest)

   Ordinary shares of 2p
(Trustee holding with no   
 beneficial interest)

2011

2010

2011

2010

(or date of 
cessation if 
earlier)

(or date of 
appointment 
if later)

(or date of 
cessation if 
earlier)

(or date of 
appointment 
if later)

72,425 
55,003 
52,440 
11,946 
- 
3,000 
12,253 
10,000 
1,950 

64,681 
35,237 
52,010 
10,000 
- 
3,000 
12,253 
10,000 
- 

- 
1,650,000 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
1,650,000 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

Kennedy McMeikan 
Richard Hutton
Raymond Reynolds 
Derek Netherton (non-executive)
Bob Bennett (non-executive)
Julie Baddeley (non-executive)
Roger Whiteside (non-executive)
Iain Ferguson (non-executive)
Ian Durant (non-executive)

Details of directors’ share options, emoluments, pension benefits and other non-cash benefits can be found in  
the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 40 to 51. Total remuneration is included in personnel expenses  
(see note 5).

There have been no changes since 31 December 2011 in the directors’ interests noted above.

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

95

10 Year History

2002

2003

2004

2005

20061

20072

20083

2009

2010

20114

(as restated)*

Turnover (£'m)

422.6

457.0

504.2

533.4

550.8

586.3

628.2

658.2

662.3

701.1

Total sales growth (%)

11.9%

8.1% 10.3%^ 5.8%^

3.3%

6.4%

7.1%

4.8%^ 0.6%^

5.8%

Like-for-like sales growth 
(%)

Earnings before interest 
and tax (EBIT) excluding 
exceptional items (£’m)

EBIT margin excluding 
exceptional items (%)

Profit on ordinary activities 
including exceptional 
items and before taxation 
(£’m)

Diluted earnings per share 
excluding exceptional 
items (pence) +

Dividend per share 
(pence) +

6.4%

3.3%

5.1%

4.0%

0.5%

5.3%

4.4%

0.8%

0.2%

1.4%

35.3

39.2

45.8

47.1

42.2

47.7

44.3

48.4

52.4

53.0

8.4%

8.6%

9.1%

8.8%

7.7%

8.1%

7.1%

7.4%

7.9%

7.6%

36.7

40.5

47.8

50.2

40.2

51.1

49.5

48.8

52.5

60.5

20.5

22.8

26.8

27.9

26.2

32.0

30.6

34.0

37.3

38.8

7.3

8.0

9.6

10.6

11.6

14.0

14.9

16.6

18.2

19.3

Shareholders’ funds (£’m)

120.0

134.2

157.2

181.5

144.9

145.6

147.9

164.2

176.2

198.4

Capital expenditure (£’m)

42.1

32.4

25.1

41.7

30.0

42.3

40.8

30.3

45.6

59.1

Net book value of fixed 
assets (£’m)

Number of shops in 
operation at year end

148.2

160.7

163.1

180.8

184.3

196.8

210.5

211.2

226.2

253.3

1,202

1,231

1,263

1,319

1,336

1,368

1,409

1,419

1,487

1,571

*restated for the transition to IFRSs 
^2004 and 2009 were 53 week years, impacting on total sales growth for that year and the year immediately following 
+ All years prior to 2009 adjusted to take account of the ten for one share split which took place during 2009

Exceptional items  
1 includes £3.5m Bakers Oven restructuring costs
2 includes one-off property gains of £2.2m
3 includes £4.3m exceptional credit
4 includes £7.4m exceptional credit (£9.6m pension credit offset by £2.2m bakery closure charges)

96

Annual Report & Accounts 2011

Financial calendar

Announcement of results and dividends
Half year 
Full year 

Early August
March

Dividends
Interim 
Final 

Mid October
25 May 2012

Annual report posted to shareholders 
Annual General Meeting 

Early April
16 May 2012

Secretary and advisers

Secretary
Jonathan D Jowett, LL.M. Solicitor

Registered Office
Fernwood House
Clayton Road
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 1TL

Registered number
502851

Bankers
National Westminster Bank Plc
149 High Street
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 1HA

Auditors
KPMG Audit Plc
Quayside House
110 Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3DX

Stockbrokers
UBS
1 Finsbury Avenue
London
EC2M 2PA

Nplus1 Brewin LLP
Time Central 
Gallowgate 
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4SR

Solicitors
Muckle LLP
Time Central
32 Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4BF

Registrars
Capita Registrars
Bourne House
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 4TU

 
222shops in Scotland

● 11 net new shops opened in 2011

251shops in the North East

● 6 net new shops opened in 2011

201shops in the South East

● 15 net new shops opened in 2011

199shops in London

● 5 net new shops opened in 2011

206shops in the North West

● 12 net new shops opened in 2011 

286shops in Central

● 17 net new shops opened 

in 2011

206shops in the South West

● 18 net new shops opened in 2011

 
Greggs plc 
Fernwood House 
Clayton Road 
Jesmond 
Newcastle upon Tyne 
NE2 1TL

Company Registered Number 502851

greggs.co.uk

L I S T E D

P R E M I U M

Design and  
project management – Gratterpalm.

Material – This report has been 
printed on elemental chlorine–free 
paper which is made from trees 
from sustainable forests.