Starbucks

I'd have no life at all if it weren't for Amazon. I love it that I can usually get all the CDs and DVDs I want at a very reasonable price, free and fast delivery. I'm that besotted with Amazon that the immorality of the account fiddling they've been up to doesn't phase me.

Starbucks on the other hand are a different story. I've never had a Starbucks experience that didn't involve something or another pissing me off. Usually it's the fact that I'm blatantly being ripped off. So I'm disgusted about what they've been up to and sort of want every Starbucks to burn to the ground overnight.

How do you feel about all this corp tax dodging?

It's fcuking disgraceful. We should all boycott Starbucks and Amazon and vote with our pockets. I know what they are doing is not illegal but it is morally reprehensible.

It's not illegal, most businesses (and individuals) would probably do it if they had the income that these big firms do but the question is, is it morally right to do it knowing that those less able to do so (us poorer people!) have to taken on more of the tax burden because these clever dicks have outsmarted the taxman?

Jimmy Carr got a bad press because he was doing something similar.

At the end of the day the big companies don't want to have a consumer backlash over this and that is why they are already meeting with the taxman and agreeing to pay more tax but are they really any worse than anybody who does a 'cash in hand job' to avoid paying tax - I think most of us would pay the cash to avoid the extra tax, don't you?

I guess we are all as bad as each other really!

Well i like Starbucks, go in there 2 or 3 times a week. Costa too.

As far as the tax thing goes i think the MP's have got a cheek when just 18 months or thereabouts ago their "immorality" was exposed to the world as they claimed public money to pay for bath robes and bird houses.

Now they want claim what starbucks is doing is "immoral."

Pot and the kettle come to mind.

What is really annoying is that these multi national corporations are raking in millions whereas the working man gets hammered with tax. They should close these tax loopholes so that everyone is on the same playing field.

No profit, no corporation tax to pay. Anybody any idea what profit they made?

I like starbucks, although it is over priced.

Starbucks is a fascinating example, to be fair.

99% of their outlets are actually British franchises who do pay their fair amount of tax to HMRC. But they also have to pay for the Starbucks design (which is based in The Netherlands) and also have to pay for the coffee (which is based in Switzerland) - anything else is based in UK (for the European markets).

So any direct sales and profits are already taxed and that tax is paid by the franchises. the other money is then split between the 3 cost-centres, and, legally, they can exchange the amounts between each cost centre whenever they want by how much that they want and as such can get away with paying as little as possible, or as much as possible - all dependent on which country has the least corporate tax. Basically they pay the minimal amounts to the UK and The Netherlands but pay more tax in Switzerland after that the majority of profits then goes to the US which has a very generous Corporate Tax for its own companies.

The same also applies to Amazon, Google and the other major US "franchised" companies. Funnily enough it does just seem to be the US companies that does this.

What basically has to happen is for teh UK Government, and HMRC, to close the loophole and try to advise the EU to do the same. Switzerland is a different problem!!!

The problem with transfer pricing for tax purposes is HMRC's inability to enforce the law properly. Transfer pricing legislation exists already and has done for many years and a large number of companies have been caught on it. The Revenue has the legal power to intervene- but it seems that on these large multinationals it has chosen not to. It doesn't need a moral crusade or fresh legislation- it needs HMRC to apply the law more rigorously.

Starbucks is so crap.

How that coffee chain has gotten to be so large when their coffee is so bad and overpriced ill never understand.

Just like ill never understand how the ludicrously expensive fast food restaurant that is Nandos is so highly rated. £11 for an average chicken burger and chips, slightly above KFC quality, AND you have to pour your own drinks, set your OWN table AND queue to order from the front desk, what a joke.

Lofty_Love wrote:

Just like ill never understand how the ludicrously expensive fast food restaurant that is Nandos is so highly rated. £11 for an average chicken burger and chips, slightly above KFC quality, AND you have to pour your own drinks, set your OWN table AND queue to order from the front desk, what a joke.

Have you ever tried the panfull of shite that passes for a Venky chicken meal ?

Lofty_Love wrote:Starbucks is so crap.

How that coffee chain has gotten to be so large when their coffee is so bad and overpriced ill never understand.

Just like ill never understand how the ludicrously expensive fast food restaurant that is Nandos is so highly rated. £11 for an average chicken burger and chips, slightly above KFC quality, AND you have to pour your own drinks, set your OWN table AND queue to order from the front desk, what a joke.

I agree. Branding has a lot to answer for.

I phones are shit as well - but sell due to good marketing making them 'trendy'

Android is so much better, but as its not considered trendy, every fucker goes and gets an Iphone and then gets shafted by having to pay through the nose for apps and music you can get for free on android...

idiots...

What apps and music can you get for free on Android that you pay for on IOS?

rammywhite wrote:The problem with transfer pricing for tax purposes is HMRC's inability to enforce the law properly. Transfer pricing legislation exists already and has done for many years and a large number of companies have been caught on it. The Revenue has the legal power to intervene- but it seems that on these large multinationals it has chosen not to. It doesn't need a moral crusade or fresh legislation- it needs HMRC to apply the law more rigorously.

probably because they employ plenty folk, albeit for peanuts, they tend to turn half a blind eye?

Reebok_Rebel wrote:I phones are shit as well - but sell due to good marketing making them 'trendy'

Android is so much better, but as its not considered trendy, every fucker goes and gets an Iphone and then gets shafted by having to pay through the nose for apps and music you can get for free on android...

idiots...

Personally I find Iphones far more user friendly than Android, with a better range of apps plus they look and feel like better quality to me.

That's just my opinion though, obviously rebels is different and anybody who doesn't share his view is an idiot.

Reebok_Rebel wrote:I phones are shit as well - but sell due to good marketing making them 'trendy'

Android is so much better, but as its not considered trendy, every fucker goes and gets an Iphone and then gets shafted by having to pay through the nose for apps and music you can get for free on android...

idiots...

Correct!!

It's called being a sheep, seen it all my life, music, football, clothes,....................................

Soul Kitchen wrote: seen it all my life, music, football, clothes,....................................

Don't get started on music again!!

Soul Kitchen wrote:

rammywhite wrote:The problem with transfer pricing for tax purposes is HMRC's inability to enforce the law properly. Transfer pricing legislation exists already and has done for many years and a large number of companies have been caught on it. The Revenue has the legal power to intervene- but it seems that on these large multinationals it has chosen not to. It doesn't need a moral crusade or fresh legislation- it needs HMRC to apply the law more rigorously.

probably because they employ plenty folk, albeit for peanuts, they tend to turn half a blind eye?

There is obviously a political dimension to this. Does anyone seriously think Osborne is going to do anything about tax avoidance? It is his rich friends and supporters that mainly benefit from it.

Another scandal is the non-doms who pay peanuts in tax despite living here. Here's a link if you are interested in knowing more:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEcQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guardian.co.uk%2Fuk%2F2002%2Fapr%2F11%2Fpolitics.economy1&ei=U_m9UKSSCtOEhQevmIDAAg&usg=AFQjCNHcHRaiqFls3wLVo1vq8oNgLtJ6HA

bwfc1874 wrote:

Reebok_Rebel wrote:I phones are shit as well - but sell due to good marketing making them 'trendy'

Android is so much better, but as its not considered trendy, every fucker goes and gets an Iphone and then gets shafted by having to pay through the nose for apps and music you can get for free on android...

idiots...

Personally I find Iphones far more user friendly than Android, with a better range of apps plus they look and feel like better quality to me.

That's just my opinion though, obviously rebels is different and anybody who doesn't share his view is an idiot.

I used to have an IPhone the 3GS was the last one i had, absolutely loved it. Last time i upgraded i decided to try out Android, love that as well.

The build of the Iphone is better than the HTC i have now, no question, Android is more customisable but really the differences are minimal in my opinion. I probably wouldn't go back to Iphone now simply because of the price.