0:00:03 > 0:00:05Take a look around your home.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Can you be sure that every appliance is safe?
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Is everything a company tells you about a product true?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20And are you getting the best value for your money?
0:00:21 > 0:00:24With the help of the country's top experts we're going to see
0:00:24 > 0:00:28what it takes to test the household products we use every day.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34'We'll discover how they're pushed to their limits.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39'We'll put the makers' claims on trial.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'And show you how to make your money go further.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:48You'll find these products in any ordinary house.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53But this is no ordinary house. And no ordinary street.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55This is the Watchdog Test House.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Hello, we're deep inside one of Britain's leading science centres.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Here at the Building Research Establishment some of the products
0:01:09 > 0:01:14and materials that we use every day are put to the test
0:01:14 > 0:01:16to make sure that they're safe,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19environmentally friendly and that they don't fall apart.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24'Coming up on today's programme, the furniture in your home
0:01:24 > 0:01:28'responsible for 400,000 accidents every year.'
0:01:28 > 0:01:31I turned and just saw the TV toppling, put my arms out
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and screamed his name. But there was no way I was getting there on time.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37'What the big manufacturers are doing
0:01:37 > 0:01:40'to try to keep your children safe.
0:01:40 > 0:01:45'The weekly supermarket shop - can you have it all, value and quality?'
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Mm.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Oh.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Nice.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53'And from laptops on fire to grounded aeroplanes -
0:01:53 > 0:01:57'will we ever to be able to make lithium batteries completely safe?'
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Not all hazards in the home are obvious.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Take, for example, your furniture - shelves, wardrobes or sofas,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10even a chest of drawers.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13They're actually responsible for thousands of accidents
0:02:13 > 0:02:15in the UK every year.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20And it's the elderly and children who are most at risk.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22MUSIC PLAYS
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Riley was just a fantastic little boy, always happy, always smiling.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32That's why he ended up with the nickname Smiley Riley.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36He had gorgeous long curls at the back of his hair
0:02:36 > 0:02:42and beautiful big blue eyes. He was very curious about his surroundings.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44And then what happened, happened.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'Steve and Cheryl Cooke lost their 15-month-old son Riley
0:02:49 > 0:02:54'in an accident that no-one could have predicted. The cause?
0:02:54 > 0:02:56'Unsecured furniture.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I took him upstairs to change his vest.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02He toddled off to the other side of the bedroom
0:03:02 > 0:03:04and I was at the other end of the bedroom.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06It all happened so fast.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11I turned and saw the TV toppling in the mirror. I screamed his name,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I put my arms out and screamed his name,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18but there was no way I was getting there in time.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21'Riley had managed to open the bottom drawer of a chest of drawers
0:03:21 > 0:03:23'and stand inside it.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27'The chest tipped and the television fell on Riley's head.'
0:03:27 > 0:03:33I felt a lot of guilt, a lot of guilt myself, because it was me
0:03:33 > 0:03:36that had put the TV on top of the drawers.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Like so many other parents do.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41And that's what I try and tell myself, you know,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45that I was actually thinking about his safety
0:03:45 > 0:03:50when I put the TV on there, but what I never actually considered
0:03:50 > 0:03:52him doing was standing on the bottom drawer.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54That's why I think it's so important,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57what we're doing now, to try and get more parents,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01more families, grandparents, anywhere that young children
0:04:01 > 0:04:05may be, to actually think about things like this.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09'Following Riley's death, Cheryl and Steve began a safety campaign.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12'Today, they're at a local play centre,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15'warning parents about the dangers of toppling furniture.'
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Do you want to take one of those?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20'Their key piece of advice is to use safety straps.'
0:04:20 > 0:04:23These fix onto the back of your television and then you fix them
0:04:23 > 0:04:29to the wall or to a wooden TV stand, so that the TV cannot tip forward.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33If we'd have had these fitted to the television that day,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36our son would still be alive today.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'What happened to Riley may sound like a freak accident, but
0:04:39 > 0:04:42'according to safety organisations like the Royal Society For
0:04:42 > 0:04:44'The Prevention Of Accidents,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47'incidents like this are all too common.'
0:04:47 > 0:04:53There are over 400,000 accidents relating to furniture per year.
0:04:53 > 0:05:00These can include heavy bookcases, chests of drawers, televisions.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Those most at risk are the under-fours
0:05:02 > 0:05:06and obviously, from a tripping point of view, the over-65s.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11'Chairs alone cause an estimated 60,000 injuries a year.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'Beds are responsible for more than 100,000.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17'As for televisions, at least eight children are known to have
0:05:17 > 0:05:21'been killed by toppling TVs since 2008.'
0:05:21 > 0:05:26It's amazing how many accidents are reported involving furniture,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28when we consider it to be such a standard part
0:05:28 > 0:05:30of our everyday living.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35'But of course it's not just homeowners who need to be careful.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38'Furniture manufacturers also have a responsibility
0:05:38 > 0:05:40'to make sure their products are safe.'
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Manufacturers test their products against various
0:05:43 > 0:05:45British, European and international standards.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Those standards aim to ensure that products are strong, durable,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51fit for purpose and safe to use.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'Later, we'll be heading to the Furniture Industry Research
0:05:55 > 0:05:58'Association to find out just how rigorously furniture is
0:05:58 > 0:06:01'tested before it goes on to the market.'
0:06:05 > 0:06:09The average family spends £58 on the weekly food shop
0:06:09 > 0:06:12and there is masses to choose from, from the big brands
0:06:12 > 0:06:16to the supermarkets' own products and their value range.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20You might assume that the more you spend, the better the quality
0:06:20 > 0:06:24and taste. But is that always the case?
0:06:24 > 0:06:28'Well, Sophie, in today's Test House challenge it's the battle
0:06:28 > 0:06:32'of branded goods versus supermarket own brands and their value ranges.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34'On the one hand you've got those trusted,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37'well-known names we so often associate with quality.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42'On the other, simpler packaging and most importantly lower prices.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46'But is there a difference where it really matters - in taste?'
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Um, I would always opt for the branded goods
0:06:48 > 0:06:51because it's a name that you can trust.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54You get better quality, better taste compared to the basic range.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57I'm just worried about going for value ranges
0:06:57 > 0:06:59because it might be a bad quality.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03'That's what they think, but what's the reality?
0:07:04 > 0:07:08'To find out, we've recruited 800 volunteers to carry out
0:07:08 > 0:07:12'a blind taste test. Here are our three shopping baskets,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15'each containing four staple items.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20'A loaf of white bread, a chunk of mature cheddar cheese,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'a can of baked beans and some sausages. The difference?
0:07:24 > 0:07:30'One basket is full of leading brands and costs £7.13.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35'One is full of randomly selected supermarket own labels costing £5.01
0:07:35 > 0:07:38'and our third basket is full of supermarket value brands
0:07:38 > 0:07:41'costing just £3.68.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44'Time to put those taste buds to the test.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47'Our diners are going to be telling us
0:07:47 > 0:07:49'which product they think tastes the best.'
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Oh, this is so hard. OK.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'And we've also asked a nutritionist to compare the ingredients.'
0:07:55 > 0:07:58'You should never assume that the most expensive product is going to
0:07:58 > 0:07:59'be the healthiest.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I think you've always got to be looking at the ingredients
0:08:02 > 0:08:04and making sure you know what you're getting.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05'Can you have it all?'
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Mm.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08'Taste, value and quality?'
0:08:08 > 0:08:10That wasn't very nice.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14To me, they taste the same. I couldn't choose.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17My decision is...
0:08:17 > 0:08:18'Find out later.'
0:08:24 > 0:08:27It's estimated that there could be more mobile phones
0:08:27 > 0:08:30and laptops in use today than there are people.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33They've certainly changed the way that we live.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36But we wouldn't have these sophisticated gadgets
0:08:36 > 0:08:39if it weren't for the lithium battery, an invention that certainly
0:08:39 > 0:08:43had its fair share of problems, as Lynn Faulds Wood reports.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48'Welcome to Watchdog. In tonight's programme,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52'all these people have written to us.'
0:08:53 > 0:08:56MUSIC: "Are Friends Electric" by Gary Numan.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00'For years our torches, tools and toys were powered by alkaline or
0:09:00 > 0:09:06'zinc carbon batteries, but they were heavyish and short-lasting, so to
0:09:06 > 0:09:11'make our phones and computers really mobile we needed a new solution.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13'The lithium-ion battery.'
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Pioneered by Sony in the 1990s, it was light, compact,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21bursting with energy. A great invention,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24but like so many that we've seen over the years,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26it was not without problems.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31In fact, soon it became obvious that some lithium-ion batteries
0:09:31 > 0:09:34were potentially very dangerous.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The computer manufacturer Dell is recalling 4.1 million
0:09:37 > 0:09:41laptop computer batteries because they pose a fire risk.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45'In 1996 there were problems with around 8 million Sony batteries
0:09:45 > 0:09:50'used in computers made by most of the main manufacturers.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53'They were recalled because it turned out they could overheat
0:09:53 > 0:09:55'and catch fire.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58'It was just one of dozens of battery recalls
0:09:58 > 0:10:01'reported to computer magazines.'
0:10:01 > 0:10:03The most common kind of feedback we got
0:10:03 > 0:10:06was that people had bloated batteries.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09But the most extreme version was when someone's laptop actually
0:10:09 > 0:10:13burst into flames in the middle of a meeting, on their lap.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Not a comfortable experience.
0:10:15 > 0:10:21If you are wondering what a laptop fire looks like, take a look at this,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24a controlled demonstration filmed in America.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29The lithium battery on this model is made up of several smaller cells.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32That smoke is the first cell overheating.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35After a few seconds, the second cell ignites.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Two more cells erupt.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47And then, like a small volcano, the fifth cell shoots out of the laptop.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Lithium fires can be very dangerous.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54They don't need oxygen to burn, so they can be hard to put out.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58And think it just affects laptops? Think again.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01This time it's Nokia and phone batteries.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04There are concerns that up to 46 million batteries
0:11:04 > 0:11:07could be defective and at risk of overheating.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09So what was going wrong?
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Here at Imperial College, London,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15they are working to understand lithium-ion batteries better,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19to make them both safer and more efficient.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22With a young technology, it wasn't very well understood.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Research money got ploughed in,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28the scientists started to be able to understand how the technology
0:11:28 > 0:11:32performed better and that enabled the product engineers
0:11:32 > 0:11:36to design safer products at an acceptable price.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39As a result of this work,
0:11:39 > 0:11:44batteries used in laptops and mobiles are much less likely to catch fire.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48The most recent research is directed at scaling up the technology
0:11:48 > 0:11:52to power bigger machines, like cars.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55When your laptop battery gets warm with constant use,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58the computer's built-in fan can easily cool it.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01But in a car, the battery is working harder
0:12:01 > 0:12:04and it produces much more heat, so the latest challenge is
0:12:04 > 0:12:08controlling that heat in an inexpensive way.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12We are trying to take the energy in and out 100 times more aggressively.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15So the rate at which we are generating the heat
0:12:15 > 0:12:17is now also 100 times greater.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19So you can imagine that instead of taking an hour to heat up,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22now it might take only half a minute or a minute to heat up.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26And if we are stopping and starting in a town centre,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29we are generating that level of heat continuously.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31So we have to be much more careful
0:12:31 > 0:12:33that we don't let the batteries overheat.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36We can do that, but it comes at a cost.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39But why stop at cars?
0:12:45 > 0:12:49When the Boeing 787 Dreamliner launched in 2011,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53it was meant to herald a new, greener era in air travel.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56But in its first year of service,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59it suffered a string of electrical problems.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02The reason, it's lithium-ion batteries.
0:13:02 > 0:13:07After two fires, the whole fleet was temporarily grounded.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11And Boeing had to work their socks off to find answers.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13One improvement to its design -
0:13:13 > 0:13:17heavy-duty, high-temperature laminated dividers.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20If there is a failure, this will help to protect it
0:13:20 > 0:13:23from spreading from one cell to the others.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Other solutions included this special insulating tape
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and a steel case round the whole pack
0:13:30 > 0:13:33that would contain any explosion or fire.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37But the ultimate aim is to make batteries that put out less heat
0:13:37 > 0:13:39and don't need all this protection.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41The advantages that they bring -
0:13:41 > 0:13:44the portable communication, the portable computing,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48the ability to have electric vehicles which reduce emissions and noise -
0:13:48 > 0:13:52lithium-ion batteries are certainly going to play a larger part in the future.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Popular, certainly.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Completely safe, not yet.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59More and more of its problems are being sorted out,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03so it's likely that the lithium-ion battery will become
0:14:03 > 0:14:06an even more important part of our lives.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16Spray, oil, cream, SPF 10, 20 or even 50.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20When it comes to buying sunscreen, the options are endless.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22And the price varies a lot as well.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25You can spend less than £3 on a bottle
0:14:25 > 0:14:27or you can spend more than £25.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30So when is it worth spending just a little bit more?
0:14:30 > 0:14:35So who better to tell us than dermatologist Dr Ian White.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Now, you can spend £3 on a bottle of sunscreen,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41you can spend more than £25 on a bottle,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43does it matter how much you spend?
0:14:43 > 0:14:46No. It doesn't matter how much you spend
0:14:46 > 0:14:49because there is actually a limited number of ingredients
0:14:49 > 0:14:52that industry can use in these products.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54There's a positive list
0:14:54 > 0:14:56dictated by the European Commission.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00And the only difference really between these products
0:15:00 > 0:15:02is the cosmetic formulations and the price tag.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04They will all work.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08You can have all kinds of products - cream, oil, spray.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Is one better than another?
0:15:09 > 0:15:14No, they would give equal amounts of protection
0:15:14 > 0:15:17against the UVA and UVB,
0:15:17 > 0:15:21depending on the particular formulations.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25The difference really is in cosmetic acceptability.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28In other words, the best one is that which you as an individual
0:15:28 > 0:15:30prefer to have on your skin.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32What about the creams, the oils
0:15:32 > 0:15:35that say they will give you protection all day long.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39If you have young children, it's incredibly difficult to get them to put the cream on.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43- Do they work?- In real life, these products will be sweated off,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47they'll be washed off, they'll be rubbed off on clothing and so on.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52So I think it would be too artificial to say that a single application
0:15:52 > 0:15:57is going to protect you all day under normal conditions of exposure.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59The bottom line is,
0:15:59 > 0:16:04repeat the application often in order to maximise the protection.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Do you think people, when they go on holiday to a hot place,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- do they use enough sunscreen? - No, they don't use enough sunscreen.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15One of the reasons of course is the price.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16And the other thing is
0:16:16 > 0:16:20some protection factors are based on an application
0:16:20 > 0:16:24of two milligrams of the product per square centimetre of skin.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27And for a normal size person,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30a bottle of this size
0:16:30 > 0:16:35would be really three whole-body applications.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38If you need that much sunscreen to stay safe, you'd be carting along
0:16:38 > 0:16:40a whole suitcase of cream when you go on holiday.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43I think you've exceeded your baggage allowance.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46I think you certainly have. Dr White, thank you very much.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Back to the weekly shop.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Earlier we started the Watchdog Test House taste test,
0:16:56 > 0:17:01where we pitted big-name brands against the supermarket own labels
0:17:01 > 0:17:02and their value products.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Can you really buy cheap without compromising quality?
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Time for the results.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12The first product in our blind taste test - white bread.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Warburton's, the leading brand, takes on Tesco's own label
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and their Everyday Value loaf.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22To me they taste the same, I couldn't choose.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26In last place, with just one shopper voting it as their favourite,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29was the Tesco Everyday Value loaf.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32In second place, however, was the branded product, Warburton's,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34with three out of eight votes.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37There's not much to it, really, but maybe C, I'll go for C.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Which means the product that came out top in our test
0:17:40 > 0:17:42when it comes to taste...
0:17:42 > 0:17:44I preferred number B.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47..was in fact the mid-priced Tesco own label,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49with four out of eight voting it the best.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51B is my favourite.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55- But these two could be...- Nice.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58So with the Tesco own brand winning this challenge,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00despite the 55p price difference,
0:18:00 > 0:18:04are you getting any less for your money when it comes to nutrition?
0:18:04 > 0:18:05I was really surprised to find
0:18:05 > 0:18:08that actually they are very, very similar nutritionally
0:18:08 > 0:18:11and there were hardly any difference in the ingredients.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13It really goes to show that you can't just assume
0:18:13 > 0:18:16that the most expensive is going to be the healthiest.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19So that's a win for the supermarket own label.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Next up, cheddar cheese.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Cathedral City mature cheddar takes on
0:18:27 > 0:18:30Morrisons M Savers and own label versions.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32They do taste the same.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35A was my favourite because it was more creamy.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37A lot softer.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39It's nice, actually, nice cheese.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42On this test, the Morrison's own label
0:18:42 > 0:18:45and their M Savers product both got three out of eight votes.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48This time, it was the branded Cathedral cheddar cheese that
0:18:48 > 0:18:51was trailing behind, with just two people voting it their favourite.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54But how do they compare nutritionally?
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I discovered with the cheeses that they were very similar,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59similar nutritional content, similar ingredients.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It really comes down to whatever tastes nicer.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03I can't believe A is the value brand.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I thought it would be the named brand.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Cathedral City told us
0:19:07 > 0:19:10they have a number of cheeses with different tastes on sale
0:19:10 > 0:19:13which are regularly assessed by independent experts
0:19:13 > 0:19:17and that the mature product is designed to appeal to all the family.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Now on to beans.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Heinz versus ASDA own brand and the ASDA Smart Price can.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27This time, our volunteers have more confidence in their taste buds.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30You can definitely tell which is Heinz.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34I've always gone for Heinz just because I prefer the taste.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Mum sometimes has given me some other beans and I'm like,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40"They're not Heinz." No, you can tell the difference.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Well, that's what they thought before tasting the beans. What about after?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47These two are very similar.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49They taste like beans.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51In fact, Heinz was not the most popular
0:19:51 > 0:19:53when it came to taste in our test.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56That honour went to ASDA Smart Price beans, which cost almost
0:19:56 > 0:19:59a third less than the big-name brand,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01with five out of eight voting it their favourite.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Heinz was second with only two votes
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and ASDA own label came last.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08A clear win for the value range.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It tastes better to me for some reason.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11I'm not sure I can explain it.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14But this time, there is more than just price
0:20:14 > 0:20:16and flavour to take into account.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Our winner, ASDA Smart Price, has something extra.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23A sugar-based syrup that adds a bit of extra sweetness to the beans.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28That's probably why I liked it - slightly sweeter, of course.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30ASDA told us they have a variety of choices
0:20:30 > 0:20:32for different tastes and budgets.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Finally we come to sausages, where we have Sainsbury's basics
0:20:39 > 0:20:42and own label against the market-leading Richmond sausages.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Well, it doesn't look the greatest, but it tastes OK.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Overall, Sainsbury's own label...
0:20:48 > 0:20:50C is the one for me.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52..and their basic product came joint top,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55with Richmond firmly in last place,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57despite it being our most expensive sausage.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Oh!- Oh, no!
0:21:00 > 0:21:02That's really isn't very nice.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04That wasn't very nice.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06It was like hard semolina.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10And it's this branded product that's bottom of the pile
0:21:10 > 0:21:12as far as our nutritionist is concerned.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17We are looking at a 42 percent amount of pork in that sausage,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20which means that 58 percent was coming from something
0:21:20 > 0:21:22that was totally not meat.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24And when you actually looked at
0:21:24 > 0:21:27the ingredients of that brand name sausage,
0:21:27 > 0:21:30you saw that this 58 percent came from E numbers,
0:21:30 > 0:21:34came from a modified starch, came from emulsifiers,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36from thickening agents,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39all things we don't necessarily want in our diet.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44Richmond told us a lower meat content doesn't equal a lower quality product
0:21:44 > 0:21:47and that they offer a choice to those consumers who prefer
0:21:47 > 0:21:50a smoother, less coarsely cut sausage.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Overall, in our one-off taste test,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57none of our brands came out on top, whereas the value range came top
0:21:57 > 0:22:00or joint top in three out of four of the taste tests.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Food for thought, particularly as, if you were to buy all four items,
0:22:04 > 0:22:05the value options would come in
0:22:05 > 0:22:08at nearly half the price of the branded goods.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11£3.68 versus £7.13.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13A saving of £3.45.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So, has it changed how our taste testers will shop in the future?
0:22:18 > 0:22:22I preferred the cheaper ones, so that's good news for me.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25If something looks similar, but is 50p less,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28then I'll buy the one that is 50p less.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33It definitely makes me feel like I should be shopping a lot cheaper.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Earlier, we discovered how accidents involving household furniture
0:22:41 > 0:22:46are responsible for a staggering 400,000 injuries every year.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50So just how is furniture tested to try to reduce accidents
0:22:50 > 0:22:52and how strict are the tests?
0:22:52 > 0:22:54We've been finding out.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59The Furniture Industry Research Association
0:22:59 > 0:23:01was set up around 60 years ago
0:23:01 > 0:23:05to try to make furniture better, stronger and safer.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Today its mission remains the same. At its heart, product testing.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Manufacturers test their products
0:23:11 > 0:23:13against various British, European
0:23:13 > 0:23:14and international standards.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Those standards aim to ensure that the product is strong, durable,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20fit for purpose and safe to use.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Virtually every item has the potential to cause injury.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27And that's why they all have to be put through rigorous testing,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30even something as simple as a dining chair.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33The main issue we have with chairs would be stability.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Basically, if a chair wasn't stable,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37you'd fall off and hurt yourself.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40And to test stability, you can't just
0:23:40 > 0:23:42sit on it and wobble about a bit.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45There is a proper way of doing things.
0:23:45 > 0:23:50Exact weights, perfect measurements and precise forces.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53The test you've just seen is rear-ward stability which is to
0:23:53 > 0:23:56simulate someone sat on a chair, reclining backwards,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58rocking back onto the back legs.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03After being pulled backwards, it's pulled sideways.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07And as it still hasn't fallen over, this chair is a pass.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10But furniture needs more than just stability to be safe -
0:24:10 > 0:24:11it also needs strength.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17That's a bunk bed being subjected to what is known as an impact test.
0:24:17 > 0:24:23For this, a 25kg weight is repeatedly dropped onto the frame.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26In total, we would do between 40 and 60 impacts on each bed,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29to make sure that all the fixtures, fittings,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33any knots that might be in the wood, any potential flaws in the product
0:24:33 > 0:24:34are ironed out quite quickly.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37The impact is quite a brutal test.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40So it highlights any fractures and things like that.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And how do they know whether it's passed? Easy.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47It's a visual inspection, so as long as it's all in one piece, it's fine.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50So, if it ain't broke, no need to fix it.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54But just because the bed can survive being hit hard
0:24:54 > 0:24:56doesn't mean it will last a long time.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00That's why it also need to be tested for durability.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05This robot arm has to push down 10,000 times in several positions.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08So it will run continuously for days.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The weight is around 100 kilos or 15½ stone.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17This speeds up what would happen over a lifetime of the product.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20So we try to accelerate that over a small space of time.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Tests like this are carried out on most furniture.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24But bunk beds are one item
0:25:24 > 0:25:28where there are other potential hazards that need to be considered.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31The majority of bunk beds are designed and manufactured
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and aimed towards children, so we need to ensure
0:25:33 > 0:25:36that all the gaps and openings are the right dimensions.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40That if they do happen to get their arms or feet stuck in a gap,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42that they are able to remove it.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Or that it doesn't go in in the first place.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46This is a 75-millimetre diameter probe.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50This represents someone's forearm or the lower half of their leg.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Then, at the other end of the scale, we have a five-millimetre probe,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56which represents a small child's finger.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00The standards are strict because in the past
0:26:00 > 0:26:04bunk beds have been linked to the deaths of a number of children.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06So every opening has to be thoroughly measured.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10We'll work our way around the bed, pushing the probe through any gap
0:26:10 > 0:26:14that we can get it in just to ensure that it doesn't fail at any point.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20So that's stability, strength, durability and child safety.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24But there's one more potential danger the technicians at FIRA
0:26:24 > 0:26:27have to test for - flammability.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety regulations
0:26:30 > 0:26:32are in place to make sure domestic furniture that is
0:26:32 > 0:26:36covered by the regulations is fire retardant to an appropriate level.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Most domestic upholstered furniture will be covered by the regulations.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42This will include scatter cushions, sofas,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44upholstered dining chairs.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Steve is showing us some of the tests which the items
0:26:48 > 0:26:51covered by the legislation have to pass.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Firstly, the cigarette test.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And it can't be just any old cigarette.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57The cigarettes we use are tipless cigarettes,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01and the reason for that is they have a hot point at both ends,
0:27:01 > 0:27:03which you wouldn't get on a cigarette with a filter tip.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06So the theory is, if it passes using a tipless cigarette,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08it will pass with any other type of cigarette.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Today, they are being used to test this furniture covering.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Lit cigarettes are placed onto the fabric and left for an hour.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19If they go out of their own accord without starting a fire,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21then it's a pass.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24And in this case, it's over within just 20 minutes.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28As you can see, the cigarettes have now stopped smouldering,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30so this would be a pass.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34So that's the covering, but what about the foam inside the furniture?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Steve is going to demonstrate how the introduction of regulations
0:27:37 > 0:27:40along with the development of fire-retardant chemicals,
0:27:40 > 0:27:45has revolutionised the safety of the furniture in our homes.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48The foam on the left meets current regulations.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50The one on the right doesn't.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Both are being put through the standard test.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56To be compliant, it needs to cease flaming in ten minutes or less.
0:27:56 > 0:28:01And the smoke and smoulder needs to cease in 60 minutes or less.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05At first, both fires appear to be taking hold.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09But after a minute, the difference is becoming clear.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12After two and half minutes, the noncompliant foam is burning
0:28:12 > 0:28:16out of control and needs to be extinguished.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19But the fire on the compliant foam goes out by itself
0:28:19 > 0:28:22after 3 minutes and 48 seconds.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Side by side, it's obvious how much safer modern furniture has become.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35If you want more information on the safety of products in your home,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39you can go to our website...
0:28:42 > 0:28:45That's all for today. Thanks for watching.