A MAJOR coffee chain has confirmed plans to open 500 new locations across the UK in the next five years.
Despite recent operating losses, the company expects the first 75 shops to open within the next 12 months.
Starbucks has unveiled plans to open hundreds of new UK stores by 2031, despite widening loses and a “tougher market”, according to reports from The Grocer.
The move comes after the US chain opened 92 new stores across the UK in 2025.
This expansion follows comments from Starbucks EMEA president Duncan Moir that the business is operating in a “tougher and more competitive market”.
Despite this, Moir said Starbucks was seeing “encouraging progress” on its latest iniative, which focuses on “the fundamentals of the coffeehouse experience, improving customer service and product consistency, and building stronger digital and loyalty engagement”.
This Back to Starbucks restructure plan was launched in 2024 in an effort to boost sales and address issues including long waiting times and frustrated staff.
As part of the changes, Starbucks unveiled plans late last year to close hundreds of coffee shops in the US and Canada, laying off 900 non-retail employees.
The move, expected to cost around $1billion (£750million), also involved a number of UK store closures.
In October 2025, 10 UK stores closed, including branches in Ilford, London Bridge station, Balham, Glasgow Exchange Place, Muswell Hill, and Holland Park.
Accounts filed at Companies House for the year ending September 28, 2025, show Starbucks UK report operating losses of £29.8million, up from £27.5million in 2024.
The coffee chain previously trialled a change to drinks across its UK locations.
