The problem with British companies is
the snowball effect of costs.
Because of the high taxes, charges and costs of doing business in the UK, all this snowballs into higher costs.
Because there are higher costs, the cut they want (the profit) has to be added ontop of these higher costs.
Because of these higher costs employees of such companies demand more money, which increases costs.
Hell look at Witherspoons they pay £17 in taxes and charges for every £1 profit they make.