Traditional retailers are paying 755% more in business rates than their digital competitors, according to new analysis.
Real estate advisory firm Altus Group says that for every £100 earned by large retailers in Great Britain (excluding non-store sales and fuel) £2.91 is owed to local councils in business rates.
For large online-only retailers, however, total business rates per £100 in sales are just 34p.
Estimates suggest that a revenue-based online sales tax of 1% for UK customers, above an allowance of £2m for smaller firms, could raise around £1bn a year.
Robert Hayton, UK president at Altus Group, said: "Ringfencing that revenue and targeting it to actually cut rates for retail, leisure and hospitality premises could lead to a reduction in rates of about 9%."
It comes just days after the government closed a consulta...
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