Supermarket Tax - Good Idea?

[Trampa501]

supermarket tax

Some interesting points - I think it could be a vote winner. How far do you go though?

[Wurzel Of Highbridge]

For a long time I have thought that the local council should install pay and display parking in all supermarket car parks. This would make the parking situation fairer with town centre shops and would put take some revenue from the supermarkets back into local councils.

However - I would prefer no parking charges at all.

[BalancedBear]

All governments can ever think of doing is introducing new taxes. If they really wanted to help town centre traders they would make town centre parking free. Supermarkets already pay lots of tax in the form of rates for their massive buildings.

[ken_ichikawa]

All taxes are paid for by the end users, thus you hike taxes on the super markets, the supermarkets hike their prices to make up for the tax that needs to be paid.

Introduce a LVT and landlords will jack up the rents to cover the LVT.

[WageslaveX14]

They should first make supermarkets pay the same taxes as other local businesses.

At the moment I understand that they pay business rates at a much lower rate than their high street competitors, as superstores are classed as 'warehouses', which pay rates at a reduced level (my Dad, who runs a high street business says this - would be happy for someone who knows more about this to confirm/deny this).

This is the case even where the supermarket offers additional services such as banking, hot food served on site, etc.

You don't need a supermarket specific tax. You just need supermarkets to be taxed in the same way as their competitors.

[porca misèria]

A common pattern to town centres.

Council proposes pedestrianisation: central area completely closed to motorists during shopping hours. Traders up in arms: "it'll ruin us", but other people want it.

Pedestrianisation comes. Big shopping crowds take advantage of more pleasant environment. Traders see big boost to their trade.

On-street parking in shopping areas should be limited to disabled only. Unless there is absolutely no pressure on space, meaning super-wide pavements - maybe 10 metres - where you can comfortably pass big groups of people gossiping or gawping.

[ken_ichikawa]

They should first make supermarkets pay the same taxes as other local businesses.

At the moment I understand that they pay business rates at a much lower rate than their high street competitors, as superstores are classed as 'warehouses', which pay rates at a reduced level (my Dad, who runs a high street business says this - would be happy for someone who knows more about this to confirm/deny this).

This is the case even where the supermarket offers additional services such as banking, hot food served on site, etc.

You don't need a supermarket specific tax. You just need supermarkets to be taxed in the same way as their competitors.

You can have a look at the £ per square metre on the VOA website. Prime retail space is very expensive! £120+ is normal, when the council jacked it up for a restaurant I worked at the restaurant closed.

[ken_ichikawa]

A common pattern to town centres.

Council proposes pedestrianisation: central area completely closed to motorists during shopping hours. Traders up in arms: "it'll ruin us", but other people want it.

Pedestrianisation comes. Big shopping crowds take advantage of more pleasant environment. Traders see big boost to their trade.

On-street parking in shopping areas should be limited to disabled only. Unless there is absolutely no pressure on space, meaning super-wide pavements - maybe 10 metres - where you can comfortably pass big groups of people gossiping or gawping.

The council said this with my local town, so they paved over the roads and pedestrianised it.... 13 years later they put the road back!

[noodle doodle]

and this is how the SNP emulate the lib dems.... start off on a wave of euphoria.... realise there's no money.... raise taxes which get passed on to the consumer.... voter gets angry

[Injin]

Thenext best thing to taxing food.

Good job, dipshit socialists! You'll have the population queuing for spuds in no time.

[BalancedBear]

You can have a look at the £ per square metre on the VOA website. Prime retail space is very expensive! £120+ is normal, when the council jacked it up for a restaurant I worked at the restaurant closed.

Perhaps councils need to reduce their business rates then, as no business can sustain that. People will just buy ever more online, and if they tax warehouses more here, the online businesses will move to warehouses in other countries.

[bazzer]

supermarket tax

Some interesting points - I think it could be a vote winner. How far do you go though?

Perhaps the councils should lower business rates in town centres and provide ample cheap parking. Also, if the local shops stayed open later that would help. It's not much use that they are open when I'm in the office. Shopping on a Saturday is low down on my list of things to do...

[ken_ichikawa]

Perhaps councils need to reduce their business rates then, as no business can sustain that. People will just buy ever more online, and if they tax warehouses more here, the online businesses will move to warehouses in other countries.

Perhaps the councils should lower business rates in town centres and provide ample cheap parking. Also, if the local shops stayed open later that would help. It's not much use that they are open when I'm in the office. Shopping on a Saturday is low down on my list of things to do...

reduce the tax burden you're kidding right, taxes are a one way ratchet system. They only ever go up. We've got a long way to go yet, Sengoku Jidai 150% taxes were not unknown. And besides who would pay for the council employees and their pensions if biz rates were cut?

[South Lorne]

supermarket tax

Some interesting points - I think it could be a vote winner. How far do you go though?

..it will all be charged back to the customer ..and escalate food inflation....but will help smaller shops to compete...

[plummet expert]

supermarket tax

Some interesting points - I think it could be a vote winner. How far do you go though?

IT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE THAT BIG BUSINESS SHOULD BE MADE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE AND NOT JUST PAY NEARLY NOTHING BECAUSE THEIR HEAD OFFICE IS REGISTERED ABROAD. OUTLAW IT - TAX IT BEFORE IT LEAVES OURS SHORES! I don't mean unfairly tax, but make them pay the same as UK domiciled Co.s.

Supermarkets - well, do you want to pay more for food? I suggest the main problem is their size and power is out of control. The UK is saturated with supermakets. Now they are showering us with Xpress stores too..

[Ruffneck]

stupid idea IMO

[Executive Sadman]

A good idea to those who want to appease small minded tw@ts and would rather we're all ripped off by some mouldly old cornershop, as that generally seems to be the definition of 'community' to these fools.

Now, if theyre registering abroad/offshoring or whatever, then fine, but dont just do it to supermarkets alone.

Edited May 9, 2011 by Sadman

[CrashConnoisseur]

Perhaps councils need to reduce their business rates....

Perhaps the councils should lower business rates in town centres...

Business rates are not set by local councils.

'Business rates in England and Wales':

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_rates_in_England_and_Wales

Properties are assessed in a rating list with a rateable value, a valuation of their annual rental value on a fixed valuation date using assumptions fixed by statute. Rating lists are created and maintained by the Valuation Office Agency, a UK Government Executive Agency. Rating lists can be altered either to reflect changes in properties, or as valuations are appealed against; new valuation lists are created every five years.

Billing and collection is the responsibility of the local authorities who are funded by the tax, but rather than receipts being retained directly, they are pooled centrally and then are redistributed. The rateable value is multiplied by a centrally-set fraction to produce the annual bill; a number of reliefs are available, such as those for charities and small businesses. In 2005/06, £19.9 billion was collected in business rates, representing 4.35% of the total UK tax income.

[winkie]

For a long time I have thought that the local council should install pay and display parking in all supermarket car parks. This would make the parking situation fairer with town centre shops and would put take some revenue from the supermarkets back into local councils.

However - I would prefer no parking charges at all.

...charge for the car parks and get a refund back if £10+ spent in the local shops.

[mfp123]

supermarkets are a better way to shop for the vast majority.

no one wants to buy meat from a butchers, carry it over to the bakery, and buy bread there, then carry that to a small veg outlets to buy veg, then carry that to the fishmongers, then walk your 8 bags of shopping back to the car park.

if small businesses want to survive they must adapt and differentiate. they must keep pushing the fact that they are different, that they provide better service, better quality and more options.

if people stll dont use them after that then that is a fact of life.

at the end of the day many small businesses close. over 500,000 businesses start up each year and the vast majority of new businesses will fail within 2 years . you cannot just pick and choose who to support, what about 100,000's of new small businesses that open and close every year - why dont people talk about subidising them?

after all the same principle applies.

every business has to create a business model and if your model doesnt stack up unfortunately thats just the way it goes. that IS business.

the reason why these small buinsesses are struggling is the exact same reason HMV and woolworths went down the drain and stores like dixons are struggling, but no one sheds a tear for them.

Edited May 9, 2011 by mfp123

[tomwatkins]

...charge for the car parks and get a refund back if £10+ spent in the local shops.

Why not just have your car park ticket validated?

[winkie]

Why not just have your car park ticket validated?

...same thing.

Went shopping big supermarket free, easy parking, local shops few parking spots over £1 to park with a short time limit....who wants a time limit, it does not make for a relaxed shopping experience...won't bother popping in for a meal in the local, can't browse in the book shop got to rush back and feed the meter......

Big supermarkets are good for some stuff, but you will get far better and better tasting meat from a local farm produced butcher.....the pork wrapped in plastic in the supermarkets is bland, full of water and tasteless imo.

[Self Employed Youth]

I was looking at moving to Scotland a few years ago. With the SNP in charge, Scotland is looking even more attractive.

[RufflesTheGuineaPig]

All taxes are paid for by the end users, thus you hike taxes on the super markets, the supermarkets hike their prices to make up for the tax that needs to be paid.

Introduce a LVT and landlords will jack up the rents to cover the LVT.

ummm. um.... BBBzzzzt!

Bullsh!t!

The opposite is true as the LVT is applied whether there is a tennant or not. If the place is empty, the landlord still has to pay the tax, so has an incentive to get a tennant, even at a lower rent, to bring in income so he can afford pay the LVT.

You're confusing LVT with council tax!

[iamdamosuzuki]

I was looking at moving to Scotland a few years ago. With the SNP in charge, Scotland is looking even more attractive.

It is.We have our problems, but thank god we're not like the South of England. And the SNP knows this.

Supermarket have their place, but they are being allowed to destroy pleasant little towns left right and centre. Labour is in their pockets as usual, which is yet another reason they got hammered.

Tesco Express makes me sick.