It's all legal, no one is doubting that. The legal loop holes are put in place to favour elitism. It's just ethically wrong and for those reasons I prefer not to drink their coffee.
Plus this allowing for avoidance is not helping our financial crisis atm. When people's pay are cut or frozen it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth knowing that corporations such as starbucks are not 'in this together' they are 'in it for themselves'.
I have to say I don't blame Starbucks for avoiding tax, as far as I know they didn't break any laws and did the same thing all of us would do, I'm sure if you could pay less tax you would, especially given how some of our tax money is quite frankly wasted by people who spend it on their ridiculous "expenses". I think the problem is with the bank of England and ultimately our government, they set the rules for these companies to abide by and the laws arn't right. I personally wouldn't boycott Starbucks but would look very closely at the government we have currently and vote accordingly in the next election. :-)
Neither do I robyn, I always support small family-run, local coffee shops.
Amen to that!