Greggs Redundancy Advice for UK Employees

What has been announced

• Greggs has announced plans to close four factories across the UK, placing up to 740 roles at risk of redundancy.
• Sites set for closure include a manufacturing facility in Brimsdown, Enfield, alongside a reported North East site.
• The company also issued an update regarding shop closures alongside the factory restructuring.
• Greggs management stated the closures are intended to future-proof the business, keep prices down, and adapt to changing customer expectations.

About the company

Greggs is a major UK high street bakery brand operating retail shops and manufacturing operations across the country.

The business produces baked goods, sandwiches, and hot drinks, relying on its dedicated supply chain and regional factories to serve retail locations nationwide.

What happens next

Where an employer plans 100 or more redundancies across an establishment, UK law requires a collective consultation period of at least 45 days before any dismissals take effect.

If closures or redundancies are addressed on a site-by-site basis involving 20 to 99 roles, the minimum collective consultation period is 30 days.

Consultations must take place with recognised trade unions or elected employee representatives, alongside individual consultations for affected staff.

Staff with at least two years of continuous service are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, calculated using age, length of service, and weekly pay up to the statutory cap.

Voluntary or compulsory redundancy

Employers often invite applications for voluntary redundancy to reduce the need for compulsory redundancies.

You are under no obligation to volunteer, and management is not required to accept every application.

If voluntary redundancies do not meet required numbers, compulsory selection procedures will apply, which must follow fair, objective, and clearly communicated selection criteria.

Your settlement agreement

In site closures, employers may offer settlement agreements that provide an enhanced redundancy payment in exchange for waiving future employment claims.

To make a settlement agreement legally valid, you must receive independent legal advice from a qualified adviser, such as an employment solicitor.

Employers typically provide a financial contribution towards the cost of obtaining this mandatory independent legal advice.

Common questions

How Deen & Co helps

Deen & Co Solicitors advises employees navigating redundancy processes and settlement agreements across England and Wales. Our employment solicitors review your terms, ensure your redundancy pay reflects your entitlements, advise on the fairness of the process, and handle the formal legal sign-off required for settlement agreements.

Read more about settlement agreement advice or work out your statutory redundancy pay.

If your role is in London, our settlement agreement solicitors London can review the package before you sign.