Many fans of the Greggs sausage, bean and cheese melt have been left disappointed over the last few weeks.

Heading into the store to pick up a pastry favourite, only to leave empty handed… This is how many Greggs customers have felt as the high street bakery has not been stocking the famous sausage, bean and cheese melt, leading some to question whether or not it has been discontinued.

The sausage bean and cheese melt is here to stay

However, Greggs has confirmed the pastry has not been discontinued, it is merely another victim of supply chain issues.

Replying to tweets questioning the item’s place on the menu, Greggs , which has outlets in Hereford, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury, said: “We haven't discontinued our Sausage, Bean & Cheese Melts, Natalie.

“Like other businesses we're experiencing some supply chain issues which are affecting some of our production, but we're working round the clock to get this fixed as soon as possible.”

The issue appears to have been going on for some time, with concerned customers tweeting Greggs as early as September, prompting a similar reply from the company: “Our Sausage, Bean and Cheese Melt is temporarily unavailable, but don’t worry, it hasn't been discontinued. We’re working hard get this back in our shops as soon as possible.”

Greggs' first supply issues began in August, after similar issues at McDonald's and Nando's.                                                                          

In August, PoliticsHome confirmed Greggs was experiencing shortages on chicken products due to a poultry shortage.       

When will the sausage, bean and cheese melt return?

Unfortunately Greggs has not been able to give an official date for the return of the pastry favourite, citing “supply chain issues” and assuring it will be back in shops “as soon as possible”.

Greggs is just one of many businesses struggling with supply chain issues. This has been exasperated by a lack of HGV drivers.

This comes as industry bosses told MPs the lorry driver shortage is “not visibly getting better” and could take well over a year to recover, Press Association reported.

Duncan Buchanan, director of policy at the Road Haulage Association, told the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy committee: “Things are very challenged at the moment.

“There are widespread shortages of lorry drivers, which are leading delays and frustrated trips.

“Among our members we are still getting reports that this hasn’t eased at all.

“Things are not visibly getting better at this stage, and I know there are a number of measures that have been put in place, stepping up training, stepping tests, but on the ground that isn’t having much of an effect.”