Swings and scooters of inflation basket


The child scooter is in and the children’s swing is out in, according to official sources.


Each March, the Office for National Statistics updates the basket of goods and services used to calculate Britain’s various rates of inflation, such as the RPI and CPI, as part of a process of continual improvement and to ensure that it is representative of consumer spending patterns. This year, 14 items have been added to the basket and nine removed.


There are a number of drink-related changes this year. Gin is back in fashion and back in the inflation basket. Apple cider and flavoured cider have been introduced, while cider replaces apple cider in the beer on-sales section of the Retail Prices Index basket.


In soft drinks, flavoured water has been introduced to widen the coverage, while the non-dairy milk drink is a new item, to reflect the growing market for the likes of soya and almond milk. The only new food item is the half chocolate-coated biscuit. 


New technology has been reflected in additions to recent year’s baskets, but it’s the old technology toy, the jigsaw, which has been added in 2017. Meanwhile, the smartphone’s popularity means the mobile phone handset has been dropped.


The popularity of cycling has brought the introduction on the cycle helmet to the inflation basket.


Items that have been dropped include mentholated cigarettes, the single drainer sink and brake pads. 


www.ons.gov.uk/releases/consumerpriceinflationbasketofgoodsandservices2017