Scandalous amendments to the Law “On Advertising” have led market participants to the peak of inter…

Scandalous amendments to the Law “On Advertising” led market participants to the peak of internecine squabbling: now some began to “measure the skulls” of others. Far from being the most independent channel of Andrei Baiduzhko, “Secrets of outdoor advertising,” published a rating of the tax burden of advertising operators. It follows from it that there are a couple of real market giants on whom everything rests, and small players who would not mind being burned in the oven of a single advertising operator.

There are several interesting details in this seemingly full-fledged tax audit listing the 20 largest market players. Firstly, at the end of 2022, the coronavirus crisis year 2020, which was remembered for a massive drop in company revenues, was used as the basis for the rating. Secondly, the calculation method itself, thanks to which such beautiful, but not reflective, figures for VAT payment were obtained, scratches the eyes.

Which is probably to the benefit of Baiduzhko himself: the owner of the printing company Allbilboards is building a workshop for the production of advertising structures, it is possible that he is expecting large orders from a single advertising operator, which may appear as a result of the adoption of amendments to the law.

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The leaders of the rating pay taxes directly to the federal budget, sending revenue to contractors without taking into account the amount transferred to the state – hence the large and beautiful figures that organically bring companies to the first places. The remaining players give the same amount of money to the budget, but in different ways. Any economics student will explain to you that it is more correct to compare the tax burden using direct taxes.

It is impossible to hide the amount of VAT paid, especially in outdoor advertising. Another “but” that betrays the inconsistency of the rating: in crisis years, companies on the simplified tax system are more useful to the state – no matter what happens, they pay turnover tax. Although who cares if the task is to prove: the market is entirely gray and dishonest, which means it needs the notorious single advertising operator who will restore order with a strong hand and with the permission of legislators.

The main thing is that the compilers of such “ratings” do not forget: in Russia there is such a concept as “Misleading”, and for actions falling under it, liability is provided – up to criminal. It would be good to recalculate the presented indicators again – after all, if even one figure does not agree with the real data, companies can turn to the competent authorities with a request to figure out which way the wind is blowing.