Greggs has officially renamed its sausage, bean and cheese melt after comments from Andy Burnham, the Labour MP for Makerfield and former Greater Manchester Mayor. The bakery chain took the decision after Burnham referred to the popular item as “that sausage, bean and cheese thing” during an interview about his favourite Greggs product.
The change is now being implemented across all Greggs bakeries, with new signage and packaging reflecting the renamed product. In one Manchester shop, signs now read: “The sausage, cheese and bean thing as eaten by our Prime Minister.”
Sales surge at Manchester shop
Warren McCarrick, a Greggs shop manager, confirmed the impact of the renaming: “Our shop has been buzzing with Mancs getting their hands on Burnham's favourite bake. Sales have gone through the roof this morning. Cheers, Andy.”
The move follows a broader public relations push by Burnham, who has also ranked pub snacks alongside Chancellor John Healey. In an Instagram post captioning the ranking, Burnham wrote: “Pubs deserve our backing. I’m not sure some of @JohnHealey_MP's choices here do though... Our 20% cut in business rates will benefit thousands of pubs, clubs and music venues across the country.”
Response to 'too blokey' criticism
The comments come as Burnham faces scrutiny over his social media style. The Times reported that a No 10 team had advised the prime minister to tone down his “blokeish” videos online, which are intended to appeal to a wider audience. Home office minister Anna Turley responded to the report when asked if Burnham was “too blokey” on LBC Radio: “Definitely not, I’m very partial to pubs and football myself, so I enjoyed his video on bar snacks. I think he is very authentic. That’s who he is and I think people want to see a politician who is who they are.”
Turley added: “Our communication has gone up substantially in terms of being authentic and reaching people.” The renaming at Greggs is expected to remain in place, with the chain capitalising on the prime minister’s endorsement.
