Yet another multi-national company - coffee chain Caffe Nero, with more than 600 shops in the UK and Ireland - paid no tax in 2017, despite making a profit of more than £25 million.

But like a number of other large companies that have recently been found to have paid little or no tax despite making enormous profits here, Caffè Nero will claim to have done no wrong - its accountants merely interpreting the law to avoid (supposedly acceptable) paying tax rather than evading (unacceptable) doing so.

I wonder if Caffè Nero bosses would find it perfectly acceptable for me to visit one of their outlets, pick up a few items from the counter, leave without paying and claim, when stopped for shoplifting that I was merely avoiding, not evading having to pay.

ROBERT READMAN

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