By PA Reporters

Copyright independent

Starbucks is to close an unspecified number of its UK stores following a global review of its coffee shops.

The company confirmed on Thursday that it had launched a consultation over the proposed closure of company-owned UK sites, putting workers at risk.

It did not disclose how many stores would be affected or their locations. Starbucks operates around 520 company-owned stores in the UK, in addition to franchise outlets.

This comes as the group also plans to reduce its North American store portfolio by 1 per cent this year and cut around 900 North American head office jobs.

In a statement, Starbucks said: “As outlined in a letter shared by Brian Niccol [chair and chief executive officer], we have conducted a review of our coffeehouse portfolio in North America and certain stores have been identified for closure where it has not been possible to create the physical environment customers and partners [employees] want, and where there isn’t a path to financial performance.

“In Europe Middle East & Africa (EMEA), we have conducted a similar review of our company-operated store portfolio with the goal of ensuring that our stores are correctly located, generating appropriate levels of foot traffic and operating in the right formats.

“While the EMEA business is on track to meet its commitment to open 80 new stores in the UK and 150 across EMEA this financial year, some stores in the UK, Switzerland and Austria will close as a result of this portfolio review.”