Posted 10 November 2023

If all big retailers sell the same product at the same price, who has the biggest payback to the country?

Let's say I am looking at a new hairdryer for a loved one this coming Christmas.

Amazon, boots, Argos all the others, how can one fathom which one has the highest payback to the country.

I can imagine a extention that when browsing will pop up showing other retailers with a higher score with the same/close prices things that would count for score would be

how much tax paid, combination of the revenue, profit as many might pay tax but hide profits in expansions forever so are they really better... just paying more tax be higher score?

Wages for employees/amount of employees

and many more.


I'm a bit out of the loop, which one is the best for actually paying there way?
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  1. MonkeyMan90's avatar
    This is way too much thought into buying something especially something so cheap. You don't know any companies financial records and if they're avoiding paying tax etc. It's easy to say avoid Amazon but we don't know if any other companies are doing the same thing but just haven't been caught yet.

    You should just buy it from whoever offers the best warranty and if delivery speed is an issue or courier use whoever has the best/fastest courier
  2. EXIE's avatar
    Well Amazon would get a very low score that's for sure! Also any Chinese company (edited)
  3. HotRodTrotter's avatar
    It's an hairdryer, you're putting WAY too much thought into it. It's going to make 0 change on the country or your life.
  4. TheUrbis's avatar
    Avoid Amazon, basically.
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Author
    I dislike this as an answer, better to give an example on whom is better

    Argos paid only marginally more but arguable likely took lot less, so are they better?
  5. bozo007's avatar
    Any company claiming to pay a fair share of taxes is a company that has used all the tricks to reduce their tax bill and can't go any further (or has an incompetent tax team). So they turn a negative into a marketing gimmick.
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Author
    Yes Mike Ashley comes to mind, one of the biggest tax payers, 180m, likely does it for marketing and to turn a blind eye to the shady other dealings they do ie staff conditions ect.
  6. C0mm0d0re_K1d's avatar
    Amazon are American owned. It's well known they pay very little tax. The only money that comes back, is from the tax/ni from UK staff salaries and then when they spend it.

    Boots is now part of "Walgreens Boots Alliance". Also American owned.
    Alliance wiki - en.m.wikipedia.org/wik…nce

    Boots wiki - en.m.wikipedia.org/wik…ny)

    Argos is part of Sainsbury's, who are in turn majority owned by the family and the Qatar investment authority, the state sovereign wealth fund.

    Taken from ownership section of wiki here - en.m.wikipedia.org/wik…y's

    Ownership in February 2023 was as follows:


    Ok, so the bottom line is. ALL companies use all the legal (and illegal in some cases) loopholes available to avoid paying the full amount of tax.

    On top of that, some have arranged so called secret "sweet heart deals" directly with HMRC. Like for instance hedge funds have their own low rate!

    The only people that pay the full amount of tax, is PAYE employee's. Self employed people normally fiddle their books a little, but no where near as much as companies do.

    That is why the Tories are so desperately keen to get as many people employed as possible. To increase tax revenues. They know exactly what goes on with these companies. And could tighten up things and chase the lost billions, but they use the same loopholes themselves!
  7. googleboogle's avatar
    Look after number one, they are all playing the system in some way or another.

    Some may pay less tax (legally) but also employ 1000's etc
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Author
    Yes they are, as there is no way to be big without being a shade of grey, but out of the 10 options, which one is the best ethical one.

    IE I agree amazon hire too many 0 hour contracts and self employed for low income jobs so I would prefer argos for that asepct.
  8. SaturdayGigs's avatar
    Just make sure you cross Currys off your purchasing lists
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Author
    for what reason, Tax, Staff, Customer service?
  9. Moss.b's avatar
    You pay taxes even when you die. They take your inheritance away. It's a scam. I understand why companies avoid it.
    Daniel_Lane's avatar
    Author
    Obvcourse, unfortunately we would not be the country we are without Tax so pointless conversation ... we should be making sure its fair, and consumer voting with there wallets is a good way, but its seems clearly to difficult to find the best of a bad bunch
  10. Justintime12's avatar
    Any company that includes their employees ni and tax as their company tax contribution should be avoided

    Yes, that's amazon

    Never best for price, just trying to destroy any competitor by matching their offer prices

    Once the competition has gone, then you can't complain about hyper price inflation (edited)
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