Vodafone denies VAT dodge
Vodafone, one of the world's biggest mobile phone companies, has denied dodging hundreds of millions of pounds worth of VAT, following a confidential meeting with Customs & Excise.
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Details of the meeting were leaked to the Financial Times just hours after the meeting took place. Vodafone representatives were trying to gain approval for a scheme which would save it millions of pounds on the sale of top-up vouchers.
A spokesman for Vodafone told the Times that the company could not discuss details of the ‘confidential’ meeting.
The scheme, which was also used by some rival operators, involved the company issuing vouchers in Ireland then transferring them to the UK to avoid VAT.