Margaret Hodge, chair of the House of Commons public accounts select committee and one of the eight MPs who are supporting the Amazon boycott said: “It's hugely important that we all take a stand and damage the reputation and business of companies such as Amazon that deliberately avoid paying their fare share of tax to the common purse for the common good.”
“If enough people boycott Amazon then we will damage their business. Amazon's market share and reputation matters.”
Margaret Hodge MP who has been boycotting Amazon since the company's appearance before the public accounts select committee last December accused the internet giant of endangering British jobs: “Boycotting Amazon is not anti-business, it's pro-fairness. Tax avoidance is not only morally wrong but it disadvantages British businesses and British jobs.”
Ethical Consumer's Tim Hunt said: “This Christmas shoppers may benefit from Amazon's cheap shopping but these bargains come at the cost of reduced public services. Amazon's tax revenues could help fund the vital public services that are now being slashed.”
“Amazon is having a devastating impact on high streets across the UK as tax-paying businesses are unable to compete with Amazon.”
“We're calling for a boycott of Amazon in response to the public's anger at the scale of Amazon's tax avoidance. Our aim is to mobilise consumer power to make Amazon pay a fair rate of tax.”
The boycott of Amazon has been run by Ethical Consumer since December 2012.
The MPs who are supporting Ethical Consumer's Amazon boycott are Natascha Engel, Meg Hillier, Margaret Hodge, John McDonnell, Michael Meacher, Austin Mitchell, Graham Morris and Dennis Skinner.
For more information on why Margaret Hodge MP is supporting the Amazon Boycott please visit:
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/boycotts/boycottamazon/imboycottingamazon/margarethodgeinterview.aspx
Amazon's company filings showed Amazon.co.uk paid tax of £3.2 million in 2012, on sales of £320 million. The Seattle-based group has told investors its 2012 UK sales were £4.2 billion.
Ethical Consumer has researched online alternatives to Amazon for books, CDs, computer + video games, DVDs, film + TV streaming + MP3s:
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/boycotts/boycottamazon/amazonshoppingalternatives.aspx
Ethical Consumer recommends that shoppers who want to boycott Amazon should always try and shop instead with locally-owned high street stores who have always paid their taxes in full.
There are no clear Best Buys for computer +video games ie companies that appear to be paying their fair share of tax.
Ethical Consumer give two clear options:
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Where possible, buy second hand from your local retailer.
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Use a lending site such as Games Planet / Metaboli or Games Collection.
For shoppers wanting to shop at tax-paying department stores, Ethical Consumer recommends the following stores who appear to be paying their fair share of tax: Debenhams, John Lewis, Lush and Next.
For more information about the Amazon boycott visit:
www.ethicalconsumer.org/boycottamazon
Launched in 1989 Ethical Consumer is the UK's leading ethical and environmental magazine. In each issue Ethical Consumer examines the ethical and environmental record of the companies behind everyday products and services from bread to banks.
For more information visit the Ethical Consumer website: www.ethicalconsumer.org
Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.