Asda and Greggs announce shop-in-shop partnership

Another strand of the rapid growth of Greggs emerges here with news of a trial concession partnership with Asda.

Greggs will initially open shop-in-shops in five Asda stores in Boldon, Corby, Huyton, Eastlands and Wigan.

Concession partnerships are not new - all of the major supermarkets have trialled concession partnerships with business franchises such as dry-cleaners, dentists, travel agents and doughnut stores.

Will this trial risk cannibalising some of Asda's hot food sales especially at lunchtime? Or might it be a canny way of increasing footfall into Asda stores at a time when they are under intensifying competition with the deep discounters Aldi and Lidl? After all, we all love a Greggs sausage roll or vegan roll don't we?