Quote DaveO="DaveO"I think you are being very naive here in suggesting we can force firms to pay up by shaming them into it. Matalan were pursued by one of the petition lobby groups, 38 degrees I think, following on from the disaster in India where hundreds of workers died when a factory producing for them collapsed to offer meaningful compensation.
They coughed up token amount and I bet virtually no one outside those who subscribe to 38 degrees even knew about this. Matalan simply toughed it out. It is not a tax issue but a useful example that shows the limit of any indignation and how it can force companies to change policy.
Eventually people tire of constantly trying to force companies to behave ethically and morally via campaigns and petitions. They are useful for drawing attention to unscrupulous practice but ultimately the only way to ensure a consistent and fair approach is by regulation.
Your idea that it is impossible to close loopholes is based on what exactly? It is certainly true tax law lags behind the effects of globalisation but the Yanks have done a pretty good job recently of going after companies who want to relocate for tax purposes. They didn't do that by offering them sweeteners. Boots won't be relocating back here any time soon but there is nothing to stop legislation being drafted that removes the ability to take such large companies private so they can relocate to dodge taxes for example.'"
For many people there now is little alternative to Boots. Here in Wincanton, we had a Boots in the high street and an independent a few doors down. About four years ago Boots bought the independent and they traded together for a year or so. Boots then closed the former independent at the same time as they opened a dispensary adjoining the new health centre.
So, unless people are willing to do what I do and drive 7 miles to an independent chemist in a nearby village, the choice is Boots or Boots.
Boots also operate many dispensaries in hospitals. I don't know how true it is but I read the other day that while the NHS dispensaries are subject to VAT, private companies operating dispensaries in the NHS are not
