Marketplace - Season 53

We all know single-use plastics can be a disaster for the planet—but what if their so-called "sustainable" alternatives aren't so much better? Marketplace cuts through the greenwashing claims to expose the truth behind paper straws, compostable cups, and compostable plastics. We follow the lifecycle of these products to uncover a troubling truth: big companies have simply swapped one throwaway solution for another, all while keeping us hooked on the myth of guilt-free convenience. The cost? A heavier toll on the environment and on your wallet.

We expose a network of overseas scammers targeting and blackmailing teens, and in some cases, driving them to suicide within hours of falling into a trap known as ‘sextortion'. We create fake social media profiles to investigate the business behind the blackmail.

With the help of a massive data leak from an overseas scam centre, Marketplace, Enquête and a global team of journalists join forces to reveal how Canadians are losing their life savings to sophisticated investment schemes using fake ads on social media.

After investigating customer concerns about AGM Renovations, the company abruptly shut down. Marketplace speaks to customers left in the lurch and travels overseas, searching for the man behind the operation.

An undercover spot check at car dealerships reveals misleading advertising for some of Canada's biggest brands. We reveal how buyers could be charged hundreds of dollars extra, despite the promise of an all-in price.

Marketplace drives into traffic jams plaguing cities across Canada to crown the country's worst commute, as we reveal the true cost of congestion and the solutions that aren't moving anywhere thanks to a lack of political will.

Marketplace investigates Canada's emergency care system in crisis, uncovering rising wait times across the country driving Canadians to walk out of ERs without being seen. The story also exposes the deadly consequences of an overwhelmed system and asks governments what they're doing to fix it.

Why are grocery prices so high? One reason may be property controls, a powerful tool used by big grocers to block competition and control local markets across Canada. We break down how it works, how it affects your wallet and how you can fight back.

We reveal you may not be getting what the companies are selling when it comes to the SPF number on your sunscreen due to the subjective ways it's tested. Plus, we debunk some common sun myths and share the essential steps to protect your skin.

Marketplace puts the country's top telecom companies to the test after hearing from so many about poor customer service. We speak with call centre insiders who say a lack of training, job outsourcing and sales pressures are contributing to the decline in service.

We put your consumer rights and protections to the test. Our high-pressure trivia will ask what you know, and our online scavenger hunt will challenge you to know more. Watch competitive debaters call out the system and each other, as we demand better from politicians across the country.