Groceries delivered to your doorstep in just 10 minutes? India’s online platforms are promising this instant delivery for millions of shoppers – items at your door in between 10 and 30 mins. But behind the convenience lies a deeper story - exhausted gig workers, struggling family-run stores, and questions about the long-term sustainability of the business model. We look at the real cost of India’s quick commerce, or Q-commerce, industry. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please em...
Jun 22, 2025•18 min
Fed up with their own inadequate and expensive care systems, many elderly Westerners are choosing to retire to Thailand, where care is cheaper and often better. Many say Thailand’s Buddhist culture and respect for the elderly means Thais are naturally caring. It’s a booming sector, and is only likely to grow as we all live longer. But the decision to move can be complex, particularly when it involves retirees with dementia. People have been accused of dumping their sick relatives in Thai care ho...
Jun 19, 2025•18 min
Thailand’s government has long been wary of opening up the country to gambling, imposing major restrictions on betting. Small-scale, illicit gambling is widespread in the country but now politicians want to liberalise the industry and allow casinos to set up shop. The goal is to promote tourism, but opponents argue that the gambling business is incompatible with Thai culture, which is largely rooted in Buddhist values that frown upon betting. If you would like to get in touch with the show, plea...
Jun 18, 2025•19 min
The Southeast Asian country has witnessed a huge influx of electrical and electronic waste in recent years. Old mobile phones, computers, circuit boards and fridges are being shipped to the country and processed, often in unlicensed industrial sites. We explore why this has happened, who is behind it, and find out what the Thai government is doing about it. We join the Thai industry ministry on a raid of an unlicensed Chinese-owned recycling plant, and talk to a Thai farmer who says his cassava ...
Jun 17, 2025•17 min
Thailand and Malaysia both depend on exports to countries like China and the US for economic growth. The Southeast Asian nations are now potentially facing some of US President Donald Trump’s most punishing tariff rates. We look at some of their key industries, like rubber and manufacturing, that are threatened by the situation. Will both countries have to reinvent their economies? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer/presenter: Ed Butle...
Jun 16, 2025•20 min
From rice to rubber, manufacturing to tourism, Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s most important export-driven economies. And its trading partners include China and the US. But the country's been struggling to bounce back from the effects of the Covid pandemic. Ever since US President Donald Trump first introduced tariffs against China in 2018, Thailand's also found itself having to tread carefully between the demands of the two economic superpowers. We hear from food producers, exporters and o...
Jun 15, 2025•18 min
David Webb has spent decades campaigning for the rights of ordinary investors in Hong Kong. Since arriving in the city from the UK as a young investment banker 30 years ago, he’s taken on tycoons, exposed corporate wrongdoing, and pushed for transparency in one of the world’s most complex financial hubs. Now, as the activist investor’s life comes to an end following a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2020, he's been reflecting on his life in the corporate world. He's spoken to the BBC's Martin Yip. ...
Jun 12, 2025•17 min
Pitchside advertising signs in stadiums are getting bigger and brighter, using advanced, digital technology to create new opportunities for marketing to fans in the stadium and those watching sports at home. But could the LED boards around the stadium distract from the action on the field? We hear from fans, marketing execs, and how one sport league is using advertising as a form of entertainment during matches. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co....
Jun 11, 2025•17 min
US President Donald Trump’s announcements on tariffs have had businesses around the world analysing their supply chains and reassessing their bottom lines. We take a snapshot of one industry and the beating heart of a popular American product - craft beer – speaking to brewers in Canada, Mexico and the US. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Hannah Bewley (Image: Robin Ridesic of Exchange Brewery in Ontario, Can...
Jun 10, 2025•17 min
A Pilsner, an American Pale Ale, American IPA or cold lager. However you like your beer – it's part of life in the US and usually comes out on top as the most popular drink in the country. In this programme, we look at how President Donald Trump’s tariffs policy is impacting the product; tracing the elements of a can of beer in the United States - from the hops to the bar. Could this all-American experience be affected by a desire to Make America Great Again? Or will US businesses involved in be...
Jun 09, 2025•17 min
Heatwaves don’t have names unlike storms or hurricanes - which are categorised. But extreme heat can have a huge impact on people’s lives, on overall public health, and the local economy. We look at a pilot project that took place in the Spanish city of Seville called ProMETEO, aimed at naming heatwaves in order to raise public awareness, and better prepare local economies in extreme heat conditions. And we speak to businesses that are having to plan for hotter weather and ask them whether categ...
Jun 08, 2025•17 min
For more than 1,400 years, Saudi Arabia has hosted pilgrims from across the world who travel to this sacred patch of desert to fulfil a religious obligation. Beyond the eternal moral duty, the economic potential of hosting both Hajj, and Umrah - a shorter pilgrimage - is vast. The kingdom is aiming to welcome 30 million pilgrims every year by 2030. As more Muslims gain the financial means to undertake this journey, we look at the scale of the opportunity—for Saudi Arabia, and the global travel i...
Jun 05, 2025•17 min
Is longevity the next growth industry? We look at why billionaires are betting on 'rejuvenation' tech and whether any of this could help more of us live beyond 100. We meet the entrepreneurs selling 'superfoods', personalised health plans, and longevity consulting, hoping to cash in on a longer life. Their methods are unproven and sometimes extreme, but could the billionaires be on to something? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and ...
Jun 04, 2025•17 min
Ice hockey was hit hard by the pandemic, with empty arenas and financial losses threatening the sport's future. Now in 2025, North America's National Hockey League (NHL) has come roaring back. We'll look at that journey and how the sport is about to enjoy a record-breaking season with predicted revenues of $6.6bn. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton (Anton Lundell of the Florida Panthers scores a goal ...
Jun 03, 2025•17 min
The small country has big ambitions to become a tech and innovation hub. It has a reliable source of renewable energy, thanks to the Itaipu Dam - a huge hydroelectric dam on the Paraguay-Brazil border. We hear from government ministers and business leaders about how they believe they can make it happen - and the benefits it could bring, particularly to young people in Paraguay. Produced and presented by Jane Chambers (Image: The Itaipu Dam - a hydroelectric dam on the Paraguay-Brazi border. Cred...
Jun 03, 2025•17 min
A new type of solar cell has been developed and has made it to market. Perovskites have been called a 'magic material' that many believe will be the new, efficient way to convert the sun's energy to electricity. Now the material is being used on commercial roof panels for the first time, we look at the opportunities of the new tech, its flaws, and when it might be available to households. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produce...
Jun 02, 2025•17 min
In the final episode of our series, we've gather together a panel of experts who all have an interest in critical mineral mining. Demand for minerals like cobalt, lithium and copper is growing rapidly, as countries turn to green energy solutions. These minerals are used in EV batteries and wind turbines. So what does the future hold? How do countries approach China's dominance in both mining and processing, and what about the environmental and ethical concerns? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: L...
May 29, 2025•18 min
Rising demand for critical minerals to fuel the green energy transition means an expansion of mining around the world. New mines are opening, existing mines are being scaled up. In the fourth programme in our series, we find out about the impact of mineral mining on the planet and for those people both working in the mines and living nearby. We head to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where there are claims that child labour is being used in so called ‘artisanal’ mines and there is little sc...
May 28, 2025•21 min
China’s headstart in market dominance is significant, and its grip on critical mineral supply chains remains tight. The question now is whether other governments can move fast enough — and smart enough — to build something more secure, more sustainable, and less dependent. We head to La Rochelle in western France for a rare look inside one of the world’s biggest rare earth processing plants, and find out what it reveals about Europe’s efforts to build a supply chain of its own. Presenter: Jonath...
May 27, 2025•17 min
The country dominates the global processing of critical minerals - materials essential to clean energy, defence, and modern manufacturing. In the second part of our series on the global race to secure these resources, we explore how China built its control over the supply chain, from strategic state investment to partnerships abroad. We also head to Indonesia, where Chinese firms are leading the charge in nickel processing. Has one country gained too much power over the world’s green transition?...
May 26, 2025•17 min
They’re essential to the green transition, modern tech, and defence systems—and global demand is soaring. In the first part of our series on critical minerals, we ask what they are, where they're found and why they matter? As countries scramble to secure supplies, we explore the rising geopolitical tensions shaping this fast-growing industry—including the Oval Office standoff between Presidents Trump and Zelensky over a landmark minerals deal. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O’Connor (Imag...
May 25, 2025•17 min
It’s been 10 years since Ireland made history by becoming the first country to legalise same-sex marriage through a public vote. While other countries had legalised it, it was the first time a referendum had been held. We hear from wedding planners, photographers and venues about how things have changed for them since the 2015 referendum. As the overall number of marriages in Ireland decreases, the number of same-sex marriages is still increasing. We hear from same-sex couples who are now seen a...
May 22, 2025•17 min
Six months on, we head back to the Spanish city to hear from residents and businesses. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma (Image: Floodwaters on the streets of Valencia, Spain, in October 2024. Homes, businesses, and public spaces were severely affected. Credit: Getty Images)
May 21, 2025•17 min
We're in Colombia where workers have been been shot at, threatened with violence and seen their work colleagues killed – all because of union membership or association. Why is this happening, what’s being done about it, and what drives people to still sign up for trade union membership? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Gideon Long (Image: Striking truck drivers in September 2024. Credit: Getty Images)...
May 18, 2025•18 min
Nuclear power is back in favour, as more countries across the world consider ways to cut carbon emissions to combat climate change. Countries like China and Japan are planning to build more reactors, but should nations in Africa invest in renewable sources of generating electricity, like solar panels, wind turbines and geo-thermal power, instead of nuclear? We examine how energy generated from nuclear fission has huge advance costs which would mean African governments finding loans from willing ...
May 18, 2025•17 min
Dozens of new nuclear power projects are planned across the world, amid efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels. But why build more reactors when renewable sources of generating electricity, like wind and solar might be cheaper? We explore why countries are turning - or returning - to nuclear fission, notably Japan, which dealt with a meltdown at its Fukushima plant in 2011. And we look at how Germany’s decision to close all of its reactors has caused problems for the country’s economy. We als...
May 18, 2025•17 min
As Portugal heads into its third general election in four years, immigration is proving to be a key issue. The famously welcoming country is facing a backlash from residents who are experiencing rising living costs and a lack of housing. Now the country is tightening its immigration rules – so what could the economic impact be? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Antonio Fernandes (Image: A Portuguese flag flying over t...
May 15, 2025•17 min
From extra bags to choosing a seat, airline passengers are faced with an array of extras, for a fee. And stricter limits for luggage in particular have turned 'compatible' suitcases and bags into big business. From bag manufacturers, racing to design the next travel bag innovation, to the travel influencers building audiences by sharing money-saving packing hacks. But what do passengers think about it all? Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton (Image: A woman packing a suitcase. Credit: Ge...
May 14, 2025•18 min
The value of the US dollar has fallen in recent months. Currencies rise and fall all the time, but since US President Donald Trump announced a raft of tariffs in early April, the drops have been sharp and dramatic. The greenback, as the US dollar is known, has been the world’s main reserve currency since the end of World War Two. But is this changing? Produced and presented by Ijeoma Ndukwe (Image: A hand holding US dollars. Credit: Getty Images)
May 13, 2025•19 min
The US president is flying in to Saudi Arabia for a high profile visit to the region. It's his first official foreign trip in office - apart from a brief visit to Rome. For Saudi Arabia, Trump's visit is about strengthening ties with their longest-standing Western ally - a relationship that grew strained during the Biden years. For President Trump, it is about landing investment deals that can be framed as a win for his economic agenda. So can both sides get what they want? Produced and presente...
May 12, 2025•17 min
