Sliced Bread

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 ?

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

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

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.

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 wonders - the generic or own-brand versions work as well as the more expensive branded ones. And could a hay fever injection be the one-shot solution Richard?s wife is looking for?Also, you might have heard about the gut microbiome?but did you know there?s a nasal microbiome too?! I?m finding out about some new research which shows probiotics could play a role in treating hay fever.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.PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Simon Hoban

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 people drink more mindfully and live well?. Kerry Torrens is a registered nutritionist who has been working in the food and drink sector for two decades. Once again this series we?re testing and investigating your suggested wonder-products, so f 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.PRESENTER: Greg Foot PRODUCER: Jon Douglas

Discover the truth behind snoring products and their effectiveness in reducing snoring. From throat sprays to chinstraps, explore the science behind these solutions. Experts reveal insights on anatomical factors, muscle relaxation, and lifestyle changes that impact snoring. Dive into the world of anti-snoring products and the importance of proper fitting for optimal results.

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 toast@bbc.co.ukIn 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 commentators to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.Sean is assisted by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, as together they try to work out what went wrong.This week, Sean and Sam look into the Sinclair C5 - an electric vehicle from the 1980s which promised to revolutionize personal transport. They get a first-hand account of what happened from the former Managing Director of Sinclair Vehicles Ltd, Barrie Wills, and hear how the Isle of Cumbrae became a hotbed for the Sinclair C5....until the little vehicles started breaking down all over the island. They also speak to Grant Sinclair - nephew of the C5's inventor, Sir Clive Sinclair - and hear how he has devised a new and very different take on the C5 which he plans to launch soon. Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Jon DouglasToast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.

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 toast@bbc.co.uk 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 commentators to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.Sean is assisted by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, as together they try to work out what went wrong.This week, Sean and Sam look into a hugely successful website from a time when most people in the UK were slowly getting used to the internet. Friends Reunited provided a unique way for users to reconnect with old school friends.It made a fortune for its founders but was closed for good in 2016. Could it still have been successful today? Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.The producers are Jay Unger and Jon Douglas.

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 from their stories today?Sean unpicks all the early optimism, hype and ambition. He speaks to expert commentators and to people involved with doomed wonder products to discover how they view things now and what, if anything, could have been done differently.Along the way he discovers charming and surprising stories from people who took to these products but lived to regret it and, with the help of self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur Sam White, tries to work out where they went wrong.This week, Sean and Sam examine the game and movie rental chain, Blockbuster. Its first store opened in 1985 in Dallas, Texas. At its peak in 2004, it had around 9,000 stores globally, was earning nearly $5.9 billion in revenue and employed over 84,000 people worldwide.How did it lose its way? Spoiler alert - it wasn't just down to the rise of streaming services like Netflix. Toast is a spin-off from Sliced Bread, the series in which Greg Foot investigates the latest so-called wonder products to find out whether they really are the best thing since sliced bread.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in May. In the meantime, Toast is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds.Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4.