Info glut, choice fatigue,

Frances Cairncross

data smog.

In an age rich in information about a world of abundant choices, we're coining phrases to express almost as much anxiety as opportunity. Why is it that the increase in choice which is the crowning achievement of a free market feels - to some - like a burden as much as a boon?

Frances Cairncross of the Economist examines the increase in choice, not just of consumer goods but of everything from careers to lifestyles, and asks how much choice we really want, how much of it is real and whether it's really all that good for us.

Choice... implies personal responsibility and the greater the choice the greater the responsibility

Frances Cairncross

Speaking to marketing consultants, economists and philosphers among others, she pieces together an analysis of a modern anxiety for those enjoying an age of affluence.

And for those who remain convinced of the pleasures of choice, or simply wish to make it as painless as possible, the programme looks at the way so-called trusted guides are emerging as the new intermediaries in modern markets to help do the choosing for us.