If you are heading somewhere tropical this summer, or just want to protect yourself from bites in your own back garden, then which mosquito repellents can you trust? Greg Foot gets up close and personal with a box full of hungry mosquitoes to find out. Is it all about DEET or are there alternatives which are just as effective? What about citronella? And how well do bracelets, patches and candles perform? And if you do get bitten, what is the best treatment for a mosquito bite? Greg assesses the ...
Jul 13, 2023•28 min
This is one of your most-requested topics and as a keen runner myself I couldn?t wait to get into it. Barefoot shoes claim to encourage you to run in a more ?natural? way, landing on your mid or forefoot rather than on your heel. Some brands say they?ll increase your speed and reduce the likelihood of injury. But will they? Listener Sam runs marathons and wants to know if the science backs up the marketing hype. He also wonders whether the wider toebox in barefoot shoes really does allow for our...
Jul 06, 2023•32 min
Owners clearing up after the UK's 11 million estimated pet dogs have a bewildering array of bags from which to choose. Some are labelled 'degradable', others are called 'biodegradable', 'compostable and biodegradable' or 'recycled.' So which ones are best for the environment? And what is the most environmentally friendly way of disposing of our dogs' doo? Greg Foot is on the case on behalf of listeners including Nicola Jones and Craig Hart who are perplexed by the claims being made on dog poo ba...
Jun 29, 2023•28 min
Which cycle helmets give you the best protection? I?m a big fan of cycling and so when listener Migue got in touch wanting to know what cycle helmet he should buy next, I was really keen to investigate. Migue wanted to know what factors make a cycle helmet the most effective when it comes to protecting your head: the shape, the material, the fit? He?s seen all sorts of neat tech, including collapsible helmets and ones that fit around your neck and act like airbags! To find out more I speak to an...
Jun 22, 2023•31 min
During the pandemic, as people sought to protect themselves from Corona Virus, more and more products entered the market claiming to use Ultra Violet light to clean your belongings. These vary from UV wands and lamps, to phone boxes and UV baby bottle sterilisers. You may have seen them advertised online, claiming to kill 99% of viruses and bacteria. But do they deliver, and are they worth it, compared to more traditional methods of cleaning like alcohol wipes, or soap and water... That's what l...
Jun 15, 2023•28 min
If you?ve ever made the mistake of going for a hike wearing just jeans and a t-shirt you?ll know it can be a pretty sweaty, uncomfortable experience. But it doesn?t have to be that way! There are myriad products promising to keep you dry, warm and protected from whatever the weather can throw at you. Listener Julie is keen to know more about that after she went on an adventure holiday without the right kit, leaving her cold and miserable. She?s heard about fabrics that promise to ?wick away? the...
Jun 08, 2023•29 min
According to recycling charity Wrap, an estimated three billion nappies are thrown away every year in the UK. Concerns over plastic waste and a want to save money have been driving a rise in the popularity of reusable nappies but, as listener Amy asks, are they really better for the planet, and your pocket? Me and the team speak to Wendy Richards, also known as The Nappy Lady. She runs one of the biggest nappy advice and sales websites specialising in reusables. Crunching the numbers with her we...
Jun 01, 2023•29 min
What works to help with the symptoms of hay fever? The better weather?s here but for the millions who have hay fever that just means a runny nose and itchy, streaming eyes. And for some people it?s seriously debilitating ? listener Richard got in touch because his wife can?t go out and play with the kids in the spring and summer months. In this episode I?m investigating the treatments that claim to help. I speak to an expert from Allergy UK to find out what works and whether - as listener Lisa w...
May 25, 2023•34 min
Sales of alcohol-free beer in the UK have more than tripled in the past five years, and you'll find more types of no and low-alcohol beer on sale in your local supermarket. But what does 'alcohol-free' really mean? And are these drinks always better for your health? Various listeners got in touch with us about this one, so we enlisted the help of two experts to answer their questions. Laura Willoughby knows a lot about no/low alcohol beer as co-founder of Club Soda which says it exists "to help ...
May 18, 2023•26 min
Research suggests four in 10 of us do it and it can even get so bad it?s been blamed for the breakdown of relationships. Snoring can be a living nightmare for you and your partner. But what if there was something that works to give you ? and the people around you ? a more peaceful night?s sleep? Listener Neville got in touch with a recording taken by his wife of him snoring ? and it?s pretty loud! He?s seen various solutions from throat sprays to nasal strips and even a chinstrap which literally...
May 11, 2023•26 min
While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up? Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers. You can contact us at [email protected] In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea which ended up toast, examining the reasons behind the failure and discovering what can we learn from its story today. Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition, speaking to expert comme...
May 04, 2023•25 min
While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up? Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers. You can contact us at [email protected] In each episode, the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea which ended up toast, examining the reasons behind the failure and discovering what can we learn from its story today. Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition, speaking to expert comme...
Apr 27, 2023•25 min
While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up? Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers. In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt? Some of the world?s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world?s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn f...
Apr 20, 2023•25 min
While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up? Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of wonder products and businesses which had promised so much to consumers. In each episode the presenter and BBC business journalist, Sean Farrington, examines one big idea. What did it promise? Why did people back it? Why did they get burnt? Some of the world?s most successful businesses have also brought us some of the world?s most remarkable failures. So, what led them to be toast? And what can we learn f...
Apr 13, 2023•25 min
From the team behind the hit series, Sliced Bread. Sean Farrington investigates wonder products and businesses which promised so much to consumers.... but ultimately ended up toast. Sean is joined by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to conclude what went wrong. Together they look at why a product or business failed, and what we can learn from their stories today. In this episode, Sean talks about wearable tech and Google Glass. These futuristic looking spectacles, wi...
Apr 06, 2023•26 min
Greg Foot introduces a new series from the team that brought you Sliced Bread. In Toast, Sean Farrington examines the wonder products and businesses that promised so much at launch but ultimately crashed and burned. With the help of industry experts, he asks what went wrong and what - if anything - they could have done differently. Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.
Apr 03, 2023•2 min
Is sourdough the best thing since Sliced Bread? It?s the last episode in the current series so I thought it was about time I investigated this! Listener Janet got in touch wanting to know whether sourdough really does live up to the hype. Is it better for our digestive health than other breads? Is it made with fewer additives? And do the cheaper sourdough loaves we can buy in the supermarket really cut it - or are they just ?sourfaux?? To find out, I went to a baking school to make a sourdough l...
Mar 31, 2023•25 min
Mascara is a crucial element of many a make-up bag - but can mascaras really deliver on their promises of longer, fuller, or curlier lashes? Listener Kath got in touch to ask exactly that. She also wants to know if you pay more for mascara, do you get better results? How should we remove it - and what about waterproof products that are tough to take off? Are we potentially damaging our lashes? Greg Foot sets his sights on investigating by recruiting some regular mascara wearers to try out differ...
Mar 23, 2023•26 min
Do toothpastes promising to repair enamel and help with sensitive teeth really work? We've all been there - you go down the supermarket aisle to grab toothpaste and suddenly you?re faced with an ocean of the stuff, all promising to do different things. Buzz-phrases like ?protect? and ?repair? all vie for your attention. But just what are the ingredients in all these different toothpastes? And do they live up to the marketing hype? In this episode we hear from three listeners keen to find out: Be...
Mar 16, 2023•26 min
Sleep is never more important than when you aren?t getting any. And there?s a large range of night time teas, herbal tablets and relaxing oils and sprays that promise to help you get some. But can they really deliver? Listener Corrine got in touch after struggling with her sleep post menopause, wanting to know if there was any evidence to back up the claims of various natural sleep aids. Can they give her the restful night?s sleep she craves ? or is it just a waste of money? She sets Greg Foot t...
Mar 09, 2023•27 min
We spend a lot of time on them so it?s important to get the right mattress. But buying one can be confusing. Some use springs while others are made out of foam - or there?s a combination of both. Then there?s memory foam, with brands like Tempur claiming to make their mattresses out of ?proprietary? material. And can a good mattress help to alleviate back pain? These are the questions keeping listener Stephen up at night and he tasks presenter Greg Foot with finding out more. Greg speaks to expe...
Mar 02, 2023•27 min
After the Sliced Bread episode on shampoo, a number of listeners got in touch to request a follow-up episode on conditioners. So of course, we obliged. Listener Katie wanted to know what they actually do to our hair, if they can deliver on promises for shinier, smoother, or stronger locks ? and whether leave-in treatments could be more effective than conditioners you wash off in the shower? Listener Franziska also got in touch, as she wondered if we could also have a look at heat protection prod...
Feb 23, 2023•27 min
Listener Isla, 11, wants to know if bottled water from the UK's biggest selling brands such as Evian and Buxton is cleaner, healthier, cheaper and greener than the stuff that comes from the tap. Greg Foot drills down into the subject, investigating the claims made by manufacturers of bottled water. Does it make any difference if water has spent years underground being "filtered by rocks" before being bottled? Are there more minerals in bottled water than in tap? And even though companies are mak...
Feb 16, 2023•27 min
When it comes to shop-bought painkillers, there are rows and rows of shelves dedicated to them in supermarkets and pharmacies ? ranging from own-brand tablets, to more expensive capsules and caplets, as well as branded packets that promise to work faster, and target specific pain. Listener Hannah got in touch all the way from Tunisia to ask the questions ? what?s the difference between paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin? Can certain painkillers target specific pain? And are any of them able to de...
Feb 09, 2023•26 min
In this episode presenter Greg Foot investigates three products that promise to make washing your laundry better for the planet. Listener Clare wants to know if the Ecoegg she?s using really is a greener alternative to liquid detergent and whether the cleaning pellets inside are harmful to the environment. Another listener, Jane, got in touch about laundry sheets ? strips of concentrated detergent that go inside the washing machine?s drum. Is the slightly higher cost worth it to cut down on wast...
Feb 02, 2023•28 min
Petrol is something millions of drivers around the UK rely on, but when faced with the choice of what to fill up with at the pumps, many wonder what is the difference between regular and premium unleaded? That?s exactly what listener Irfan wanted to know, and if premium can really deliver on its promises to make your car more efficient, take you further, and clean out your engine for a higher price tag. Greg Foot drives the investigation into unleaded petrol, what?s changed since we moved from E...
Jan 26, 2023•27 min
Sales of energy drinks are rising and their brightly coloured cans line the shelves of almost every supermarket or grocery store in the UK. But do brands like Monster, Red Bull and Relentless deliver on their promises? Listener Syed is a consultant radiologist and says he needs to be on his A-Game in his demanding job. He wants to know if an energy drink would be any better than his usual cup of coffee in helping him stay alert. He's also keen to know more about some of the ingredients they cont...
Jan 19, 2023•27 min
Shampoo ranges hugely in price, from own brand bottles to premium products that promise to improve your hair, leaving it in better condition, stronger and shinier. But can they really deliver? Listener Sophie sent in a WhatsApp to ask just that, as well as whether we should use different shampoos depending on our hair type, if sulphates or parabens could be harmful to our hair, and if shampoo bars can do the job just as well, and be a greener option? Greg Foot untangles some of the most common c...
Jan 12, 2023•26 min
Two products dominate the market for nasal sprays that claim to reduce symptons of a cold - Vicks ?First Defence? and Boots ?Dual Defence?. But do they work? Listener Leah got in touch because she catches lots of colds from her young son and wants to know if they can help her get over them more quickly. She also wants to know if they?re safe to use regularly and how long you should take them for. Presenter Greg Foot sniffs out the evidence and talks to a leading expert who?s dedicated most of hi...
Jan 05, 2023•23 min
In the run up to Christmas, many parents will be checking on their battery supplies ahead of Santa bringing gifts that require them. But do branded batteries, that promise more power and longer life at a higher price point, really deliver it? Listener Peter got in touch asking just that, as well as whether batteries have an expiry date? Greg Foot recruits some year 7 pupils and their teacher to help him perform a test to find out, and speaks to one of the country?s leading scientists about what ...
Dec 15, 2022•27 min
