Seriously...

The Dark Side of Direct Sales


Listen Later

Big money, glamorous work trips abroad, and becoming your own boss - the world of door-to-door selling and chugging on the high street has been rebooted for the social media age.

The industry has been around for decades, but revenues have seen a boost over the last few years and it is now worth £2.6bn a year in the UK.

Some direct selling firms in the UK are jumping on the popularity of trends such as hustle culture to recruit young, ambitious people into entry-level jobs in ‘marketing’ or ‘management’ and to work with big, well-known, clients.

But as Lora Jones finds out, the reality is very different. She finds keen young people who have been sold the dream, only to find themselves working 80-hour weeks - for low rates of pay.

So how exactly is that possible - and what's the set-up that can reel in so many hungry young recruits? And what protection do they really have from exploitation?

Reporter: Lora Jones

Producers: Jim Booth, Samantha Everett, Nalini Sivathasan
Researchers: Star McFarlane, Jade Thompson
Executive Producers: Gail Champion and Kim Rowell
Production Manager: Jon Briest

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Seriously...By BBC Radio 4

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

257 ratings


More shows like Seriously...

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,607 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

374 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

882 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,048 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,481 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,799 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

959 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,761 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,041 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,097 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,088 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

484 Listeners

Last Word by BBC Radio 4

Last Word

46 Listeners

Thinking Allowed by BBC Radio 4

Thinking Allowed

298 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

71 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

744 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

237 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

844 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

160 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,152 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

739 Listeners

Cyber Hack by BBC World Service

Cyber Hack

1,640 Listeners

The History Podcast by BBC Radio 4

The History Podcast

63 Listeners