Consumer confidence, Smart homes, Market research

Available for over a year

Consumer research specialist GfK says its seen the biggest plunge in consumer confidence for 21 years. The company, which publishes monthly data on how we feel about spending, says it hasn't seen a drop like it for more than two decades. How a head injury could increase your propensity to commit crime. Researchers at Leeds Prison say 47% of prisoners had suffered a head injury before committing the crime for which they were incarcerated. Why do tech companies want you to buy a smart thermostat to control your heating online? Some see it as an entry point for consumers to buy more internet-connected devices for their home. They believe that in the future we'll want to connect up everything from our front door to our kettle and control them all via a mobile app. But do we really want to and what are the down-sides to a connected home? The market research industry in the UK is 70: What has it done to improve consumers' lives? Liz Nelson OBE, the co founder of market research company TNS gives us her insights. Producer: Kevin Mousley Presenter: Peter White.