Coffee and bakery chain’s growth helped by international expansion, with 600 stores outside UK

Pret a Manger returned to profit for the first time since 2018 last year as the launch of a subscription service helped the coffee and bakery chain bounce back after the Covid crisis.

The group, which suffered during the pandemic lockdowns when office workers stayed at home, said salesjumped 20% to £430m in the six months to the end of June. It relaunched its subscription service – which kicked off in September 2020 – as Club Pret, upping the cost by a fifth to £30 a month but adding a 10% discount on food and snacks alongside up to five hot drinks a day.