Caffe Latte Replaces Brown Ale In ONS Survey

Takeaway caffe latte, powdered diet drinks and shower gel have all made it into the basket of goods that the Office Of National Statistics (ONS) uses to measure the rate of UK inflation.

The ONS has announced that products such as brown ale, frozen fish in sauce and vinyl floor covering are on their way out to reflect the changing tastes and spending patterns of modern consumers.

The ‘basket of goods’ is used by the ONS to compile the retail prices index, which is the main measure of inflation in the UK. Changes to the list of 650 goods and services has been incorporated into the February RPI figure, which was released earlier today (see UK Inflation Jumps During February).

Len Cook, the National Statistician, said: “Households appear to be changing their eating habits to cope with busy lives, changing tastes and leisure patterns.”

As well as bringing caffe latte into the basket for the first time, the ONS will now track a range of personal care products, dried potted snacks and golf green fees. However, with washing machines in most homes and shoes increasingly replaced rather than repaired, laundrette charges and women’s shoe repair no longer justify their place on the list, which is based on a survey of consumer spending habits.

Office of National Statistics: 020 7533 5888 www.statistics.gov.uk

Recent Related Stories from NewsLine Broadband Boost To UK Connectivity NewsLine Column: Has TV Cookery Gone Off The Boil? Advertisers Fail Older People

Subscribers can access ten years of NewsLine articles by clicking the Search button to the left