Starbucks boycott gaining momentum!

[Anna Glypta]

And they're worth tens of millions of pounds to you?

 

Have they put their prices up?

 

But then they'll be more expensive than costa and Nero who in theory will get a bigger slice of the market, or people will just pay the extra.

 

I just want them to pay tax on profit. Nothing more nothing less. I don't doubt the other two I mentioned squirrel away some of their profits in tax avoidance schemes but, unless someone tells me different (because I can't find out - I've tried !!) they pay a big chunk more from their profits into the public than starbucks do.

 

I don't drink Starbucks but I support this. Don't whine about big corporations not doing this or that, stop giving them your money.

 

But if other countries clamp down on Costa paying tax in the UK and tax them more abroad, then Costa will also have increased costs. There's no such thing as a free Cappuccino.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Anna Glypta

[tinfoilhat]

Nothing like a bit of self righteous indignation and a bit of following the flock....

 

I can see it now, once the glorious coffee revolution of the proleteriat has done away with the evil Empire of Starbuck, we will have a load of people out of worse, and less coffee places. We can then turn on the next one that pays less tax than all the other coffee places, and target them and repeat, it'sll be great. Viva la revolution, and when the end is nigh, and there is only but one coffee house left, you will all be complaining about isn't coffee really expensive since there is a monopoly.

 

If you want to change the tax regime - look to the lawmakers. It's pointless chasing the providers - all you will do is cut off the hand that serves you.

 

Do think the law makers of this country, be they red, blue or orange, listen to the average man in the street ?

 

No they do not. To think other wise is frankly deluded. If Starbucks start taking a hit, and as others have said, they remain busy, they might choose to avoid paying less tax and pay a bit more. Or not, I don't know. A slick pr campaign or a bit of mud slinging at costa et al might do. In another thread it was pointed out to me that despite vodafone having some murky tax arrangements, sales are up and profits are up. We might be wasting our time (well not mine specifically - my work rarely puts me near a Starbucks but you get my point) but either waiting for government to change things is just as daft as sitting in a tent demanding "change". Choosing who gets my hard earned gives me a teeny bit of control.

[Obelix]

Do think the law makers of this country, be they red, blue or orange, listen to the average man in the street ?

 

Yes. There are many examples of it, but for some reason it seems fashionable to assume that they don't.

 

If you really think that, then set up your own party and start standing in elections. If you promise to listen to people then surely all these disaffected people will vote for you - if they exist.

[Guest sibon]

We might be wasting our time (well not mine specifically - my work rarely puts me near a Starbucks but you get my point) but either waiting for government to change things is just as daft as sitting in a tent demanding "change". Choosing who gets my hard earned gives me a teeny bit of control.

 

I agree with this. I'm not under any illusions that I can make any difference to big corporations, but I can choose who I spend with.

 

I have no intention of shopping in Boots, or any Arcadia store. I don't use Vodaphone and I bank with a mutual. One day, if enough people make the same sort of choices, we might get things to change. In the meantime, at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that I'm not knowingly making a contribution to major tax dodging corporations.

[tinfoilhat]

Yes. There are many examples of it, but for some reason it seems fashionable to assume that they don't.

 

If you really think that, then set up your own party and start standing in elections. If you promise to listen to people then surely all these disaffected people will vote for you - if they exist.

 

There are examples, but few recent examples. Iraq war. Let's do it (lib dems aside). Forget the plausabilty. Forget the millions on the street. They know best. Camerons done a few u turns but nothing groundbreaking, and had he had a majority he'd have done what he wants as Blair did before him. Fuel costs a bomb and affects everything. So whilst they'll have a wee look into gas price fixing (you expecting much out of that ?) the 3p goes on fuel, end of story.

 

I'm not some tree hugging hippy, Im self employed, card carrying capitalist. When I wake up I ask myself who can sell to today not how can I avoid paying tax. I think some loopholes should be closed. I'd like to see corporation tax down to Ireland-like levels and maybe encourage more businesses here. I just dont like the way some go as hard as they on tax avoidance. Should I suddenly start making millions (HA!) I'd like to think that id pay my way rather than using every trick in the book not to. If every company did a starbucks or an amazon or a Vodafone we'd all be paying a bucket load more.

[Obelix]

Newsflash - if you look you will find every company out there is employing every trick they can just like Starbucks, Vodafone, Amazon etc.

 

It's just that some are not as obvious, some don't use the methods that the larger ones do because they have no international presence. But they are all doing it - because it is perfectly legal to do so.

[tinfoilhat]

Newsflash - if you look you will find every company out there is employing every trick they can just like Starbucks, Vodafone, Amazon etc.

 

It's just that some are not as obvious, some don't use the methods that the larger ones do because they have no international presence. But they are all doing it - because it is perfectly legal to do so.

 

Again, I don't doubt that, but some clearly do it less aggressively than Starbucks or they'd be paying as little as Starbucks. Do you think all the big corporations should pay as little as Starbucks despite the profit they make ?

[Obelix]

Depends on what profits they are making really. A lot of people on here seem to be confusing turnover with profits.

[tinfoilhat]

Depends on what profits they are making really. A lot of people on here seem to be confusing turnover with profits.

 

I can assure you I'm not !!!!

[Harleyman]

Boycotting Starbucks wont achieve anything. They are worldwide, everywhere you look. The only people that will suffer are the employees who will be put on short time.

 

The issue is with the government. But on the other hand they need to provide incentives to foreign based companies to come to the UK and provide jobs