Maybe this is a semantic issue. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you or Starbucks wrote the UK government the tax check. None of Starbucks' money st

Maybe this is a semantic issue. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you or Starbucks wrote the UK government the tax check. None of Starbucks' money started with them, it all starts with the UK consumer. Without Starbucks the entity, £0 gets paid to the UK government for both VAT and payroll tax. With Starbucks the entity, a lot of money gets paid to the UK government. As a result, Starbucks generates a lot of tax revenue within the UK, regardless of whose name is on the check.