Greggs' opening first 'healthy shop' in Wolverhampton hospital

Greggs has launched its first 'healthy shop' at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton. It is the first of its kind in the country.

The Greggs bakery at the hospital was revealed as one of the busiest in the country three years ago.

Bosses say the new format is designed to meet NHS England's targets on food sold in hospitals.

The new store layout sees a wider selection of the firm's 'balanced choice' range of sandwiches, wraps, yoghurts and soups.

It has reduced the number of high fat, sugar and salt products on display at the checkout. Cream cakes are not on sale.

Sausage rolls and doughnuts are still on sale but multi-packs of the items are not.

Greggs chief executive Roger Whiteside said: "We have been busy developing a healthier shop format at New Cross Hospital to meet NHS England targets on healthy checkouts, food advertising and price promotions in hospitals and are proud to have to achieved joint second place in a league table compiled by health campaigners, which ranks high-street brands in order of how well they meet these guidelines.

"With ambitions to grow to over 2,000 shops nationwide and ownership of our supply chain, we are in a unique position to have real impact in encouraging people to make healthier-food-on-the-go choices with convenient access at outstanding value."

Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust chief executive David Loughton said: "It is important that patients, visitors and staff have a variety of choice when it comes to the food that they wish to eat and in a hospital setting it is important that there are a number of healthy options on offer.

"I am pleased that the offer now available at Greggs is so wide and that there are so many healthy options open to their customers."

It comes a month after Wolverhampton council announced it was helping people choose from healthier options when they visit a takeaway.

It is hoped this will help address high levels of obesity in the city.