Sweet nothings : the human cost of a British sugar giant avoiding taxes in southern Africa
Document type: report
Download file(s):
478199 (2033 KB)
Abstract:
This report examines the tax practices of one of the world’s largest food multinationals, the Associated British Foods (ABF) group, in one of the most impoverished places in which it operates. ABF produces staple brands like Silver Spoon sugar, Kingsmill bread, Ryvita and Patak’s, and also owns clothing chain Primark. We look particularly at the activities of ABF’s Zambian subsidiary, Zambia Sugar Plc. This report shows how tackling the problem will require both national and international action across three fronts: companies’ ingenious financial engineering, weak international tax rules, and governments’ deliberate tax policies. While the group of companies detailed in this report have taken (lawful) advantage of loopholes in international tax laws, they have also benefited from tax breaks deliberately written into countries’ tax codes, responsibility for which ultimately lies with governments.
Authors:
Lewis, M.
,
Brooks, R.
,
Chisanga, P.
,
Hearson, M.
,
Jordan, C.
,
Nshindano, K.
,
Tharoor, A.
,
Wu, P.
Country:
United Kingdom
,
Zambia
Category:
Research
Keywords:
finance
,
political conditions
,
private sector
Language:
eng
Organization:
ActionAid Nederland
PAGE:
44
Place:
Chard [etc.]
Publisher:
ActionAid
Year:
2013
Region:
East Africa
,
Western Europe
Right:
© 2013 ActionAid
Subject:
Economic Development and Trade
Title:
Sweet nothings : the human cost of a British sugar giant avoiding taxes in southern Africa