If you've ever bitten into a Greggs sausage roll only to find it stone cold, an employee has explained why the iconic bakery's products aren't always warm.
Taking to Reddit to answer questions on all things Greggs, the worker dropped a bombshell that the pastries aren't actually kept under a hot counter, even though it looks like it. It turns out that any heat depends on how long the bakes have been out of the oven.
One user was dying to find out why they can never seem to get their hands on a hot Greggs product. They asked: "Why are the sausage and bean melts always cold?"
The employee responded: "Because it’s not actually under a hot counter, so when it comes out the oven it’s going to get cold. You have to get there at the right time."
Other members of the discussion forum suggested that Greggs food isn't heated to avoid adding value added tax (VAT) to products, meaning they can be sold for cheaper.
A response explained: "Technically they are exempt from VAT because they are not classed as a hot-food item. If you end up with one just out of the oven and it’s hot then you’re lucky."
The levy, known as the pasty tax, sees 20 per cent VAT added to all hot foods that cool down. Introduced by the government to combat childhood obesity, the tax caused major outcry from pasty vendors and fans when it was introduced back in 2012.
So, if you were to pay £1.15 for a hot sausage roll for example, you would have to pay an extra 23 pence. Interestingly, the tax does not apply to cold takeaway food items.
This theory has been confirmed by Greggs in an answer to one of its frequently asked questions on their website: "Why wasn’t my sausage roll hot?"
Greggs answer read: "We sell savouries which are freshly baked in our shop ovens then put on the shelf to cool. We don’t keep our savouries in a heated environment, or use heat retaining packaging, or market them as hot, as they are simply freshly baked throughout the day then left to cool.
"As bakers we believe that baking our savouries fresh each day gives customers the best quality savoury. If the sausage rolls and pasties were kept hot after they had been baked, then they would be subject to VAT and the customer would have to be charged a higher price, in the same way that we charge VAT on our hot sandwiches which are kept in a heated cabinet and are subject to VAT."
Many Greggs fans were floored to learn this, with one person saying: "I honestly never knew that. It explains a lot!!" while another said they were "shook" by the revelation.
Speaking on how Greggs should serve their products, one person said: "Molten hot is the only way. Nothing like a searing lava of beans and sausage to warm your cockles."
While another said: "I wish they would. I don't care if it costs slightly more if it can be guaranteed hot."
So, if you're looking to get a piping hot steak bake or sausage roll, it's best to wait for a fresh batch.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
