Even though many people believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, many of them tend to grab quick and tasty treats from the bakery as they rush to work. Today’s lifestyle dynamics and rising urbanization are leading many consumers to ready-to-consume (RTC) baked goods.
According to a recent industry report, the global bakery products market size increased from $549.1 billion in 2025 to $566.0 billion in 2026, and it’s projected to reach $726.7 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 3.07%.
Despite the demand, bakery businesses are not immune to harsh economic environments, inflation, and rising food and labor expenses. And just like that, one of the most famous United Kingdom bakeries with a more than century-old tradition is closing 19 locations.
Sayers the Bakers closing 19 locations, putting about 100 jobs at risk
Sayers the Bakers, established in 1912, will close 19 bakeries that are no longer profitable. These closures may result in the termination of approximately 100 employees, reported the Liverpool ECHO.
“Following a comprehensive review of our store portfolio, the company has concluded that a number of locations are no longer commercially viable,” Sayers the Bakers said in a statement to the ECHO.
The more than century-old bakery analyzed the performance of its shops and confirmed it plans to close 19 underperforming ones. The closures are expected at the end of August, resulting in about 100 redundancies out of approximately 800 total employees.
Why is Sayers the Bakers closing 19 shops?
“This has come about after a very difficult trading period due to a number of factors, particularly a change in customer shopping habits, which has led to a reduction of people on the high street along with inflation on the cost of running the business, which has been difficult to pass on to customers while also maintaining sales volumes,” Sayers the Bakers stated.
The latest industry data revealed that U.K. high-street footfall (foot traffic) was down 3.8% year over year in July 2026, an improvement from a 6.2% decline in June, according to the BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor.
Total U.K. retail footfall across all location types fared somewhat better, down 2.1% in July after a 3.4% decline in June. High streets fared even worse earlier in the year: Footfall on U.K. high streets dropped 9.2% year over year in April 2026, according to BRC.
“July saw U.K. retail footfall remain under pressure, with total visits down 2.1% year-on-year. While this represents an improvement on June’s -3.4%, the broader trend remains challenging, with six of the first seven months of 2026 performing worse than the same period last year,” said Andy Sumpter, Head of Consulting & Analytics – EMEA for Sensormatic.
“The exceptionally hot and historically dry weather is likely to have been a significant factor, discouraging shopping trips and particularly impacting High Streets.”
Sayers the Bakers faced other challenges in recent years
When a business, any kind of business, survives for 100 years, it is a true testament to its quality. However, on such a long road, there are always bumps.
It all started as a family business in Old Swan in 1912, when Fred and Lylian Sayer began selling baked goods from a kitchen in a basement. Since then, the company has undergone many major changes, including a partial rebranding as Poundbakery and various ownership changes.
Sayers the Bakers faced one of its biggest challenges back in 2008, when its parent company at the time, Lyndale Group, went into administration, following huge financial pressure caused by soaring raw material and energy costs.
While the management buyout saved 158 stores, its historic manufacturing plant in Norris Green, Liverpool, and 41 retail outlets were closed, and 450 people lost their jobs, according to the British Baker.
In 2010, Sayers the Bakers was facing fierce competition from low-cost competitors at a time when foot traffic on high streets was dropping. To deal with these struggles, the management launched the Poundbakery, selling products for £1.
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In December 2019, Sayers the Bakers entered administration again after reporting consecutive operating losses and falling sales.
In January 2020, the BBC reported that in addition to the high street environment, Sayers the Bakers’ financial stress was partly driven by a National Living Wage increase.
The increasing costs were “most notably ingredients and employee costs with increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage,” said Sarah O’Toole, from Grant Thornton, in a report to creditors.
The business was rescued in a prepack buyout led by investor Karen Wood and existing managers, forming Sayers and Poundbakery Limited (now S&PB Retail Ltd). The deal preserved about 1,400 jobs but resulted in 11 immediate store closures, reported the British Baker.
To protect its core operations, the longstanding bakery must once again optimize its footprint.
What’s next for Sayers the Bakers
Although Sayers the Bakers has largely already disappeared from Liverpool, it still runs more than 20 shops across Merseyside and another 40 across the U.K.
In August 2025, the bakery closed three of its stores, one at Churchill Shopping Centre in Aintree, another on Banks Road in West Kirby, and one more at Queens Avenue in Widnes.
The locations of the 19 stores scheduled for closure have not yet been revealed.
As with previous store closures, Sayers the Bakers made a difficult decision in order to save the business.
“Our focus is safeguarding the future of the business, investing in our remaining 72 shops and protecting approx. 700 jobs while preserving our place on the high street, where we have been for 114 years,” the bakery told the ECHO.
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