Business Daily

Doorstep delivery services boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic and they're still popular in many parts of the world: ordering hot meals, or groceries, via a mobile app to your door at the click of a button. For the customer, it's a fast and convenient service. For the rider, it's flexible work, but there's no guaranteed income, the work is physical and the hours are often antisocial - especially during major holidays like Christmas and New Year. Why, then, do so many people do it? We speak to riders in the US and UK about their experiences delivering food, drinks and other essentials to customers at all hours of the day.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can send us an email to [email protected]: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings(Picture: A delivery rider on a scooter, travelling through a city at night. Credit: Getty Images)

With 250 years of brewing history behind his family, Arthur Edward Guinness was discouraged from taking on the responsibility that the men of his family had for centuries. Now Ned, or Lord Iveagh, grows crops, brews beer and is in pursuit of being able to pour the perfect pint in one of the two pubs he owns in the rural east of England. He tells Leanna Byrne about the extraordinary family history he sees as his legacy, and talks about how the famous brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin, Ireland became one of the most successful in the world. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Hannah Bewley(Image: Ned Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh, attends the "House Of Guinness" London Premiere at Picturehouse Central on 23 September 2025 in London, England. Credit: Getty Images)

We're in Santa’s grotto – sort of - a Chinese city that some call the Christmas capital of the world. With 75,000 traders, across 50,000 stores, Yiwu offers the world’s largest wholesale market across a labyrinth of arcades. But at a time of growing trade tensions with the US, who’s actually buying the tinsel this year? If you'd like to send us an email, our address is [email protected]: Ed Butler Producer: David Cann Additional production: Victoriya Holland(Picture: Crowds of people walking through Yiwu wholesale market. Credit: BBC/Wang Xiqing)

We look at what makes a great Christmas marketing campaign. From a budget-friendly advert based around coffee cups, to multi-million dollar epic commercials featuring Hollywood A-list celebrities.We unwrap the secrets behind the world's most iconic festive advertising.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected] and produced by Elizabeth Hotson(Picture: A woman and a man wearing Santa hats, sitting in front of a TV with Christmas tree, candles and food. Credit: Getty Images)

Festive spending habits are changing, with many, especially younger shoppers, predicted to cut back.We look at what’s driving the shift, the impact on retail, and how artificial intelligence is starting to shape the way shoppers choose gifts and search for lower prices.Plus - we hear from members of the World Service audience on what their holiday spending priorities are. You can get in touch with the programme - our email address is [email protected]: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: Nelmar Cornes, a stationary enthusiast and the owner of the Toronto Pen Shoppe in Toronto, Canada.)