Greggs is hoping to promote healthier eating by introducing ring-shaped doughnuts.

The bakery has announced plans to change its displays so that ring doughnuts, with a hole in the middle, surround the jam-filled treats, which contain more calories.

Roger Whiteside, chief executive of Greggs, reportedly told the audience at a recent childhood obesity conference in London that ring doughnuts "take some of the calories out".

He explained: "Ring doughnuts are between 200 and 300 calories, the ball doughnuts are between 300 and 400 calories".

(Image: Greggs)

He added: "People like big cakes, not little cakes... we know that we shouldn't be encouraging people to eat large cakes... but the problem is you have to go with demand."

A Greggs jam doughnut contains 245 calories, 12 grams of sugar and 10 grams of fat.

In comparison the glazed ring doughnut from Greggs has 191 calories, 12 grams of sugar and 6.4 grams of fat.

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A spokesperson for Greggs said "encouraging healthy eating is a key priority" for the company and that the lower calorie items were not intended as "diet products" but simply offered customers a wider choice.

They added: "Greggs has also reduced sugar by 20 percent across its sweet range."