Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.

Find out how to listen to other BBC stations

Episode details

World Service,15 Sep 2021,26 mins

Energy prices set to rise

World Business Report

Available for over a year

Wholesale prices for gas and electricity have been rising sharply across Europe. That's likely to lead to significant cost increases for businesses and households, and we find out what's causing the issue from David Hunter, Director of Market Studies at Schneider Electric. Also in the programme, campaigners argue that exposure to a seemingly endless stream of beautiful people with perfect bodies on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram can damage the wellbeing of teenagers. We hear what can be done to tackle the issue from Whitney Crenna Jennings of the Education Policy Institute, which has studied the impact of social media on mental health. The BBC's Deborah Weitzmann reports on the growing trend of property buyers bidding on homes without seeing them in person first, enabled by improvements in virtual home buying technology. Plus, Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak is launching a new company called Privateer to help clear up space junk. We find out more from Jacob Geer, head of space surveillance and tracking at the UK Space Agency. (Picture: A power plug on Euro banknotes. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

Programme Website
More episodes