The coffee chain's new CEO Brian Niccol announced on Monday that 1,100 employees would be laid off and hundreds of open positions would not be filled. 

Niccol said the mass layoffs are 'necessary' to remove duplicate jobs and increase focus.

'We believe it's a necessary change to position Starbucks for future success,' Niccol said in a statement. 

As well as job losses Niccol also announced that corporate employees with vice-president or higher status must now go in to the office at least three days a week.

Starbucks has around 16,000 corporate employees who work on the business outside the day to day running of cafes. Store workers such as baristas - of which there are 345,000 - will not be affected. 

The cuts are among the largest in the chain's history, and the first since around 350 corporate jobs were cut in 2018. 

Office staff have been asked to work from home this week while the company gives notice to those being laid off. They will be told on Tuesday if they are losing their jobs.