Sliced Bread
BBC Radio 4
While Sliced Bread takes a break we serve up Toast. A study of the spectacular failures of brands 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 from their stories today? Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He learns about the tremendous success of a brand before hearing how it faltered, with help from expert commentators and people who were directly involved. How do they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently? The self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, is alongside him, analysing the missteps that changed a brand’s fortunes and reaching her own, often instructive, conclusions. From big tech to high street retail and, of course, food, Toast tackles the business ideas that, one way or another, ended up cooked. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in January, 2026. In the new series, Greg Foot will investigate more of the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds. For this brand new series of Toast, episodes will be released weekly on Thursdays wherever you get your podcasts. But if you’re in the UK, you can listen to the latest episode on BBC Sounds first, a week earlier than anywhere else.Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 5, 2023 • 25min
Induction Hobs
Induction hobs are not just a fashionable addition to a new kitchen, but are also sold as a more efficient choice than a gas hob. How do they compare? Is cooking on an electric induction hob better for the planet? And what about our health? Listener Roisin wants to know if they are an economical choice but worries they might affect her mum's pacemaker, while listener Anna is concerned about indoor air pollution from gas cookers and wonders if induction hobs are a safer bet. Greg Foot gets them some answers with expert help from Emily Seymour, the Energy Editor at Which? and Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine at Queen Mary University of London. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad relating to another consumer product and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, then email us: sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Jon Douglas
Oct 2, 2023 • 33min
Vapes
Is vaping harmful to your health and to the environment?I'm back with a new series of Sliced Bread and I'm kicking off with a topic many of you have suggested - vapes. They've become controversial largely because of the rise in single-use, or disposable, vapes. Nearly eight million are sold in the UK each week, a figure that's doubled in the past year. And according to the organisation Material Focus, which campaigns to increase recyling rates, five million of those are thrown away. Listener John has spotted them lying around on the pavement and is worried about their effect on the environment.I'm joined by Scott Butler from Material Focus who takes apart a disposable vape and shows me just what's inside and explains why they're harmful to the planet and what can be done to improve recycling.I'm also investigating the reason vapes were introduced in the first place over a decade ago - as a smoking cessation aid. Listener Sam wants to know if they really do help you stop smoking or whether the convenience of disposable vapes means they just prolong or even worsen the addiction? I speak to Professor Anne McNeill, co-author of a landmark review into the health impact of vapes and their effectiveness when it comes to helping people stop smoking compared to previous treatments like nicotine patches or gum. Presenter: Greg Foot
Producer: Simon Hoban
Sep 21, 2023 • 2min
Sliced Bread is back!
Greg Foot returns to investigate a whole new batch of so-called wonder products suggested by you, the listeners.Sliced Bread is back for a new series from Thursday 28 September, 2023 on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, with new episodes available weekly on Thursdays on BBC Sounds and wherever you get your podcasts.
Jul 13, 2023 • 28min
Mosquito Repellents
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 scientific evidence with Professor James Logan from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Dr Jane Wilcock, an indepedent researcher and GP. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad relating to another consumer product and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Jon Douglas
Jul 6, 2023 • 32min
Barefoot Shoes
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 toes to be separated out in a more natural way.It’s not just runners who got in touch either; Jon is a dog walker and is interested in wearing barefoot shoes on a more casual basis. Is there any benefit to that? And what about children? Listener Zoe already wears barefoot shoes herself but wants to know if they might be good for her son, too.
In this episode I speak to experts to weigh up the evidence. Are barefoot shoes the best thing since sliced bread? Or just marketing BS?PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Simon Hoban
Jun 29, 2023 • 28min
Dog Poo Bags
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 bags. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad relating to another consumer product and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Jon Douglas
15 snips
Jun 22, 2023 • 31min
Cycle Helmets
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 expert at one of the world’s leading helmet testing labs in Virginia, USA.And in researching this episode I also discovered there is a hotly-contested debate about whether cycle helmets should be the focus at all when it comes to safety. Some - including the organisation Cycling UK and the charity Sustrans - argue that introducing tougher rules around helmets would mean far more lives lost through physical inactivity than would be saved in protecting from collisions, which are rare. That’s a view shared by Dr Ian Walker from Swansea University, who also features in this episode.Once again this series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so if you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg FootPRODUCER: Simon Hoban
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Jun 15, 2023 • 28min
UV Sterilisers
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 listeners Chris and Ben wanted to know.I'll be finding out by speaking to an expert in radiation safety Professor John O'Hagan at Loughborough University and Matt Knight, Product Testing Expert at the consumer group Which?Once again this series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so if you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg FootPRODUCER: Jay Unger
Jun 8, 2023 • 29min
Outdoor Clothing
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 sweat and others that keep you warm in cold weather and cool when it’s hot. And what about the jackets that claim to stop rain getting in yet still be breathable enough to let vapour and sweat out. How does that work?!I’ll be finding out by speaking to an expert in textile technology and the Gear Editor from the UK’s best-selling walking magazine.Once again this series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so if you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807PRESENTER: Greg Foot
PRODUCER: Simon Hoban
Jun 1, 2023 • 29min
Reusable Nappies
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 look at the complete financial costs of both reusable and disposable nappies, even taking into consideration the extra washing costs needed to clean reusables. But what about the environmental impacts of reusable nappies. Are they really better than disposables when you factor in the energy and water used to clean them? That's what we ask Professor Rob Holdway from Brunel University and Giraffe Innovation. Giraffe Innovation recently completed a thorough study - commissioned by DEFRA, the government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - looking at exactly this.Once again this series we’re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so if you’ve seen an ad, trend or fad, and wonder if there’s any evidence to back up a claim, drop us an email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or you can send us a voice note to our WhatsApp number: 07543 306807.
