Coffee

Comedian Simon Evans continues his series about the economics of some of the goods - or bads - we are addicted to.

What are the economics, history and health issues behind these oh-so-addictive commodities?

This time 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 'Where good ideas come from' TED talk), 'a place where ideas can have sex'?

Simon walks us around the economics of this very familiar commodity and pokes fun at our relationship with it.

He speaks to specialist coffee experts Onny Loisel and Michael Cleland.

With regular guests:

* Economics guru, Tim Harford
* Queen of investment know-how, Merryn Somerset-Webb

Written by Simon Evans, Benjamin Partridge and Andy Wolton.

Producer: Claire Jones

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2015.