Simon Evans Goes to Market - Series 2 (BBC R4)

Simon Evans presents another series of jokenomics (or is it economedy?) - comedy
lectures on the economics behind various commodities.

Comedian Simon Evans returns with a new series about the economics of some of
the goods - or bads - we are addicted to.

If you crave your daily coffee, can't get by without a cigarette, feel that
mid-afternoon slump without your sugar-fix, or can't face an evening without a
glass of wine, you are definitely not alone. But have you ever thought about
the economics that has made your addiction possible? Who does it profit? And
would you want to make some canny investments that take advantage of our human
weaknesses?

In this series, Simon Evans looks at the economics, history and health issues
behind these oh-so-addictive commodities.

With the help of economics guru, More Or Less host Tim Harford and the Queen of
investment know-how, Merryn Somerset-Webb, Simon walks us around the economics
of these very familiar commodities and pokes fun at our relationship with them.

Presented by Simon Evans.
Regular guests Tim Harford and Merryn Somerset-Webb.
Written by Simon Evans, Benjamin Partridge and Andy Wolton.
Produced by Claire Jones.

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S02E01 - Alcohol (First broadcast 8 July 2015)
    Simon Evans presents a comedy lecture on the economics behind alcohol.

S02E02 - Tobacco (First broadcast 15 July 2015)
    This week it's tobacco. It's been called the single biggest avoidable cause
    of death in the world today yet it has remained an investment goldmine,
    with a single pound invested in tobacco stocks in 1900 now being worth over
    6 million pounds.
    Simon speaks to Robert West, Professor of Health Psychology and Director of
    Tobacco Studios at University College London about current global trends in
    smoking.

S02E03 - Coffee (First broadcast 22 July 2015)
    This week it's coffee. How much are we now drinking as a nation? And how
    much of the price of a cup of coffee is actually the coffee beans? Are we
    giving coffee growers the best deal when we buy Fairtrade coffee or should
    we be seeking out Direct trade coffee? And could this be the least harmful
    of all addictions? Perhaps even a positive addiction, with the coffee shop
    being, as Steven Johnson said (in his recent 'Where good ideas come from'
    TED talk), 'a place where ideas can have sex'?
    Simon speaks to specialist coffee experts Onny Loisel and Michael Cleland.

S02E04 - Sugar (First broadcast 29 July 2015)
    This week it's sugar. Some people say sugar could be the new tobacco -
    exposed as a health risk that's been knowingly concealed for decades. And
    the trouble is sugar is in almost everything now - even things that 'look'
    savoury. What part does economics have to play in how we have got to this
    point? How do we make sense of what the food industry is doing with sugar?
    And if we want to invest in this addiction, how do we do it?
    Simon speak with guest David Gillespie.