Sliced Bread

Our Price Records was one of Britain's biggest music retailers offering cut-price albums at over 300 local high street stores. So, why did the chain disappear even before the internet transformed the music industry?The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, and the entrepreneur, Sam White, examine the retailer's fortunes. How did it manage to become so successful? And why did it end up 'toast'?The pair are joined by expert guests including: -Neil Boote - former commercial director at Virgin Our Price -Phil Cokell - former marketing director at Chrysalis Records -Alison Warner who worked at Our Price Records in the 1980sProduced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.You can email the programme at toast@bbc.co.ukFeel free to suggest topics which could be covered in future episodes.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates 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

Kodak made photography mainstream so why did it falter in a digital age? The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, discovers how Kodak rose to become a massive global enterprise best known for its cameras and film. Alongside him is the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, ready to offer her opinions on the business's fortunes.Kodak is still trading profitably but is now a much smaller business than it once was. Sean and Sam hear from expert guests including: Kamal Munir - Professor of Strategy & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School which is part of the University of CambridgeDon Strickland - Kodak's former Vice President of Digital ImagingPaul O'Sullivan - who runs a film processing business in LondonAndrew Long - who worked in Kodak's consumer products division in the UK.Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.You can email the programme at toast@bbc.co.ukFeel free to suggest topics which could be covered in future episodes.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates 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.

Why did we lose Reader's Digest magazine when it is still going in America?The BBC Business journalist, Sean Farrington, discovers what happened to the brand which started over a hundred years ago and became the most widely read magazine in the world. Alongside him is the serial entrepreneur, Sam White, ready to offer her opinions on the business's fortunes. How did a magazine which pinched articles from other publications become so successful? And why did it end up toast in the UK? Sean speaks to: - Sir Alexander McCall Smith, the best-selling author of The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency who also wrote for The Reader's Digest - Richard Junger, Professor of Communication at Western Michigan State University - Tom Browne, a former editor of Reader's Digest UK - Gary Hopkins, a former owner of the business's UK division - Jason Buhrmester, Chief Content Officer for Magazines & Books at Trusted Media Brands which owns the Reader's Digest brand, still publishes it in America and licenses it for publicaiton in other parts of the world. Produced by Jon Douglas. Toast is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds. You can email the programme at toast@bbc.co.ukFeel free to suggest topics which could be covered in future episodes. Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in December, where Greg Foot investigates 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.

Listener Liz has recently switched to a coffee pod machine, that promises to deliver her a quick, convenient and delicious cup of coffee when she wants at the touch of a button. But she started to wonder about how the pods can be recycled, and whether her decision to swap to them had a greater impact on the environment?Greg Foot ‘filters’ through the research on coffee’s carbon footprint alongside two experts, to find out where pods fall. He tastes the difference between a few different brewing methods, finds out how easy it is to recycle our pods, and what effect recycling them (or not) can have on their environmental impact. (The information in this episode was accurate at the time of recording.)All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you’ve seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voice note to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807. PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: KATE HOLDSWORTH

Do we really need all those cleaning sprays?Have a peek in anyone’s cupboard under the sink (ask first or it can get a bit weird) and you’re bound to find a clutch of cleaning sprays and products. The marketing often says they’re designed for certain rooms and do specific jobs.But listener Alice wants to know if we really need different sprays for our bathrooms and kitchens. Will soap and water do the same job, and what about supermarket own-brand products? She’s also keen to know about the cleaning properties of natural products like vinegar…and what about the concentrated versions that allow you to add your own water?Greg and Alice are joined by Dr Sally Bloomfield from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene, as well as TV’s ‘Queen of Clean’, Lynsey Crombie, to run the science through the evidence mill.All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you've seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voicenote to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Can taking special supplements help us to live longer? It's the 100th episode of Sliced Bread and to mark the occasion we're investigating the pills and supplements that claim to help us live longer - and more healthy - lives. Listener Soly has heard about so-called 'biohackers' such as Bryan Johnson in the US, who are trying to turn back the clock on their biological age and reverse the process that makes their bodies vulnerable to illness and disease. Each day they're taking a special blend of compounds and chemicals which they claim slow down or even reverse the hallmarks of ageing.Increasingly these supplements and diet plans are available to buy - but are they worth the money? Can they really extend our lives beyond the current normal human lifespan? What does the evidence say so far about their effectiveness?Greg is joined in the studio by Dr Andrew Steele, author of 'Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older Without Getting Old' to try to unlock the secrets of staying young and run the studies through the evidence mill.We could not have made it to 100 episodes of Sliced Bread without YOUR suggestions for wonder products to investigate. Please do keep them coming! If you have seen something claiming to make you happier, healthier or greener, and want to know if it is SB or BS, then please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voice note on WhatsApp to 07543 306807.PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCERS: SIMON HOBAN AND PHIL SANSOM

Does a session in a float tank work wonders for your mental health and exercise recovery?Listener Maddy has heard a lot about float tanks and joins Greg Foot to find out if it really is the latest product worth spending money on.She’s a keen runner and wants to know if claims that it can help with exercise recovery stack up. And what about the effects on the brain? When Maddy's partner recently paid for a session in a float tank he reported a sense of both relaxation and euphoria, which helped him through a period of poor mental health. But is any of that backed up the science? Greg speak to two experts in the field to run the studies through the evidence mill. All of the ideas for out investigations come from you, our listeners, and we’re always on the lookout for more. If you have seen a wonder product that claims to make you happier, healthier or greener, and want to know if it is SB or BS, then please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voice note on WhatsApp to 07543 306807.PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Listener Nikki from Essex has a problem in her garden with a certain slippery character – the slug. She told Sliced Bread that she’s lost many a plant to them, and had to abandon growing certain kinds altogether – because while they’re being a nuisance, she doesn’t want to harm them.She has been researching non-lethal slug repellents, and wants to know if they actually work? Can things like egg shells, copper tape and wool pellets stop them in their slimy tracks?We speak to principal entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society Doctor Hayley Jones, as well as zoologist, ecologist and honorary fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, Doctor Gordon Port to find out. You can also hear us put some slugs through their paces – as we set up a test to see what they avoid… All of the ideas for out investigations come from you, our listeners, and we’re always on the lookout for more. If you have seen a wonder product that claims to make you happier, healthier or greener, and want to know if it is SB or BS, then please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voice note on WhatsApp to 07543 306807.PRESENTER: Greg FootPRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth

Do drinks and powders with electrolytes help to hydrate you better?Listener Rob got in touch as he’s recently taken up a new sport and wants to know if electrolytes can help his performance and recovery. He’s seen lots of adverts on social media for drinks and powders containing electrolytes that claim to hydrate you better than just plain water. But do they? To find the answers, Greg speaks to Graeme Close, Professor of Human Physiology and Head of the Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University.All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you've seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voicenote to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Listener Raffi is tired of his morning coffee going cold by the time he's ready to drink it. There are plenty of products out there promising to do a better job than Raffi's flask, and they come with a range of price tags. But how do they work and what is the ideal drinking temperature? Dr Michael de Podesta, a chartered physicist and measurements expert, has been looking into these very questions. He joins Greg and Raffi in the studio to run through his experiments - and explain how 'double walled technology' works and whether it's the answer to Raffi's prayers. Michael's even been trying out a high tech cup that claims to instantly cool your drink to a perfect drinking temperature - and keep it there for hours. Insulated cups also claim to be leak proof, durable and - in some cases - dishwasher proof. So joining them for this one is Kamisha Darroux, principal scientific adviser for Which? to talk about the tests they do and which other features are worth spending your money on. So are insulated coffee cups the best thing since sliced bread?PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Greens powders are made up of dozens of ingredients, which are ground up and added to water. They claim to do all sorts of things for our bodies, like give us extra energy, clearer skin, boost our gut health and reduce bloating. But they're not cheap. So what's in them and do they work? That's what listener Sofie, whose social feeds have been bombarded with adverts for greens powders, wants to know. She's not alone - we've had lots of messages asking us to look into these products. To get some answers, Greg speaks to British Dietetic Association spokeswoman Sian Porter, and food scientist Dr Emily Leeming. The prices of the products were correct at the time of the recording.PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Lots of people use a foam roller, either before after exercise. It's not usually a very comfortable experience - as Greg finds out in this episode - but is worth the pain? Can they really increase flexibility before exercise, and ease our muscles afterwards? Is it any better than stretching? As you'd expect, there are plenty of claims around these products, which cost anything from a tenner to more than £100 for a vibrating version. We're going right around the world for this one - listener Brendon joins us all the way from New Zealand, and to get him some answers we've got foam roller expert Dr David Behm dialling in from Canada. National Physiotherapy Lead for Nuffield Health Jodie Breach also joins Greg in the studio. So are foam rollers the best thing since sliced bread?PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: TOM MOSELEY

Do more expensive dishwasher tablets clean better? And how do eco versions stack up?We are back with a new series of Sliced Bread and even more investigations into your suggested wonder products! We'll also be hitting a significant milestone during this batch of programmes so look out for more on that.First up - dishwasher tablets. Listener Deborah got in touch after hearing our deep-dive into dishwashers themselves and had some burning questions about the tablets we put in them. Do more expensive ones give you a better clean? Do they protect glasses better? And what about the eco brands that promise to be kinder to the environment? Listener Graham sent a voicenote asking whether buying an 'all-in-one' tablet is better than using separate components, either for cleaning or the environment. Greg's joined by Deborah and a panel of experts in our studio at Media City in Salford to run all these questions through the wash.All our investigations start with YOUR suggestions. If you've seen an ad, trend or wonder product promising to make you happier, healthier or greener, email us at sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk OR send a voicenote to our WhatsApp number 07543 306807. PRESENTER: GREG FOOT PRODUCER: SIMON HOBAN

Could fridges make way for kitchen cabinets that don't just keep food fresh but actually grow it?Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products, assessing where the smart money is going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of refrigeration including:Federica Torelli – Head of Product Management with Smeg which makes fridge freezers.Emir Lasic - Principal Analyst with the industry analysts, Omdia.Jason Hirst - CEO and founder of EvoGro which makes plant growing cabinets.Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist, Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.Together, they explore fridge freezer trends and inventions chatting about their own choices for game changing, and pointless, innovations.We hear how energy efficiency labels are not always as accurate as you might think and assess the chances of indoor incubators providing a new home for vegetables and leafy greens away from the fridge. Produced by Viant Siddique & Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when 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, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Will anyone iron clothes in the future?Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products, assessing where the smart money is going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of garment care including:Leonor Carneiro - the category leader for garment care at Versuni which owns the Philips brand and is famous for making products including steam irons. Veronika Kandusova - a consultant with the market researchers, Euromonitor International.Frej Lewenhaupt - the CEO and co-founder of Steamery, a company which makes garment steamers.Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist, Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.Together, they explore the products that are replacing traditional irons, explain why fewer people in the UK tend to iron today and chat about their own choices for game changing and least effective ironing innovations. We hear why clothes iron manufacturers are yet to crack battery power and get a tantalising glimpse of how even more of us might avoid ironing in the future. Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when 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, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

How do modern hairdryers protect against damage from excessive heat?Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the future.In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of hairdryer manufacturing, namely Robyn Coutts, a senior design manager at Dyson and Andrew McDougall, director of beauty and personal care research at the analysts, Mintel. Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist Tom Cheesewright, who offers his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.Together, they explore how hairdryers went from gas-powered chimneys to handheld devices, examine some of the latest trends and technology before giving their expert opinions on game-changing - and pointless - hair drying innovations.Dough looks at where the smart money's going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.Produced by Viant Siddique and Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when 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, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sound

Why do we buy so many vacuum cleaners? Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the future.In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of vacuum cleaner manufacturing, including:Grahame Capron-Tee - who has seen many significant changes during his long career in the industry;Nick Grey - the inventor and founder of Gtech;Anthony Williams - a global director at the data insights company, GFK. Also joining them is the technology expert and applied futurist Tom Cheesewright, to offer his insight and predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline.Together, they explore how vacuum cleaners went from exterior, horse-drawn contraptions to interior, automatic robots scuttling around on the floor, explain why UK households buy so many vacuum cleaners and give their expert views on game-changing - and pointless - product innovations. There's a debate about bagged versus bagless vacuum cleaners and a discussion on when robotic vacuum cleaners might be able to clean more than just the floors. Dough looks at where the smart money's going now and what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when 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, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

What might our TV sets be like in the future?Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the years to come. In this episode, the entrepreneur Sam White speaks with experts from the world of television manufacturing, including Brian Palmer, who has seen many interesting and amusing changes during his long career in the industry. Brian is now the founder and chief executive officer of Cello Electronics (UK) Ltd which makes televisions at its factory in County Durham. He gives a candid account of some of the ups and downs he has faced, while explaining how his business has always managed to make a profit, despite competition from global rivals. Paul Gray is a Research Director for Consumer Electronics and Devices at the analysts, Omdia. With a background in TV manufacturing, he has considerable knowledge on how the business has changed.Brian and Paul offer their views on game-changing - and pointless - TV innovations before considering where companies are investing their money now. Tom Cheesewright, a technology expert and applied futurist, then offers his predictions on what might be coming beyond the current production pipeline. TVs have come a long way in a relatively short space of time and where they are going next might surprise you!Produced by Jon Douglas. Dough is a BBC Audio North production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.Sliced Bread returns for a new batch of investigations in August when 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, Dough is available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds

Dough is a new series from BBC Radio 4 which looks at the business behind profitable, everyday products and considers how they might evolve in the future.In each episode, entrepreneur Sam White, futurist Tom Cheesewright and a host of technology experts take on a popular product, look at where the smart money's going now and then try to predict what that could mean for all of us in the years ahead.The series starts on BBC Radio 4 and will be available in the Sliced Bread feed on BBC Sounds weekly from Thursday, 18 July 2024.

Listener Chris from Suffolk recently took a DNA ancestry test, and after getting some interesting results back, he wondered how accurate they really were?Greg Foot finds out by taking two tests himself – and has the results and his family tree revealed to him by DNA Genealogist from Finding Families, Louise Baldock.He also speaks to Professor of Genetics at Leicester University Mark Jobling to find out what these companies are looking for, what they can or can’t determine from our DNA in terms of where we came from, and asks the question – is sharing our DNA with these companies safe?All of the ideas for our investigations come from you, our listeners, and we’re always on the lookout for more. If you have seen a wonder product that claims to make you happier, healthier or greener, and want to know if it is SB or BS, then please do send it over on email to sliced.bread@bbc.co.uk or drop us a message or voice note on WhatsApp to 07543 306807.PRESENTER: Greg FootPRODUCER: Kate Holdsworth