Extra shots boost Starbucks sales

Putting more coffee in its drinks may have helped Starbucks turn round its performance in the UK.

A year ago, the US coffee-chain giant relaunched the recipe of its beverages and added an extra shot of Fairtrade espresso to most of its drinks at no extra cost. Sales of latte and cappuccino at Starbucks in the UK have risen by more than 9 per cent compared with the same period a year ago.

But the rest of Europe was more challenging. Globally it reported better-than-expected quarterly net profit – up 19 per cent to $309.9m.