By Peter Campbell PUBLISHED: 11:57 EST, 12 November 2012 | UPDATED: 04:11 EST, 13 November 2012 The 'immoral' tricks used by corporate giants to avoid UK tax were laid bare yesterday.Executives from Google, Starbucks and Amazon revealed how they base operations offshore and route profits to tax havens. They had been summoned by MPs to explain why they contribute little or nothing to the Treasury's coffers. In a three-hour inquisition: Troy Alstead, global chief financial officer at Starbucks, was told his defence that the coffee chain continually made a loss in Britain 'just doesn't ring true' The legal ruses deployed by the three US firms have caused outrage because ordinary taxpayers are left to make up the difference.
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'It seems to us that you are exporting your profits to minimise your tax', says committee chairman Margaret Hodge when questioning Starbucks chief
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Amazon and Google also being questioned over decision to base European operations in countries that have lower tax rates such as Luxembourg
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Starbucks paid no corporation tax in the past three years, Amazon paid no corporation tax last year and Google is accused of paying just £6m in tax
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Google admitted funnelling profits to a company in the tax haven of Bermuda;
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Starbucks said it had a deal with the Dutch government to minimise its tax bill and 'buys' coffee through Switzerland even though the beans never touch Swiss soil;
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Amazon admitted basing its European operations in Luxembourg because of the low tax there;
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The internet giant also claimed not to know its UK turnover.
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