The ONS reviews the content of a national "shopping basket" every year. (It's this typical basket of items which underpins the various inflation rates used by government and other bodies.) Sometimes things fall out the baskets because they've fallen out of fashion - goodbye, slippers. Sometimes, as items become more popular, items get refined - hence, any-old type of large eggs are discarded and free-range eggs come in. Objects appear and then, a year or two later, fall out - Freeview boxes had a brief moment in the sun, for example. Flavoured milk was asked to leave, and then invited back.
A rummage through the items shows a nation which has started to turn down pudding in the staff canteen, and briefly embraced champagne on nights out. You can see the influence of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen as MDF takes its place in the nation's DIY projects. Remember when everyone was downloading ringtones? The ONS noticed, adjusted; realised we'd grown tired of the Crazy Frog and readjusted.
These are the items which have been taken out, and put into, the basket since 2004:
| Items added | Items removed | |
| 2004 | ||
| Lamb mince | ||
| Fresh turkey steaks | Frozen turkey | |
| Regional cheese | Cheese slices | |
| Gin | ||
| Men's sports sweatshirt | Child's fleece jacket | |
| Shower unit | ||
| Wine glass | ||
| Fabric conditioner | Washing machine liquid | |
| Dishwasher tablets | Dishwasher powder | |
| Kitchen roll | ||
| Minidisc player | ||
| Digital camera | ||
| PC printer | ||
| CDs purchased over the internet | ||
| Acoustic guitar | ||
| Infants' activity toy | ||
| Fishing rod | Exercise bike | |
| Men's football boots | ||
| Local newspaper | ||
| Bottled mineral water (in a restaurant) | ||
| Basic manicure | ||
| Bank charges | ||
| 2005 | ||
| Frozen chicken nuggets | ||
| Pre-packaged vegetables | ||
| French stick/baguette | ||
| Tinned corned beef | ||
| Powdered baby formula | ||
| Cigarettes purchased from vending machines | ||
| Infants' trousers | Infants' dungarees | |
| Carpenters' fees |
Local authority repair and maintainence charges
|
|
| Children's school shirt | ||
| Children's shorts | ||
| Children's slippers | ||
| Cycle helmet | ||
| Wooden patio set | Plastic patio set | |
| Leather settee | Upholstered settee | |
| Frying pan | Mug | |
| Food processor | ||
| Gardeners' fees | ||
| Smoke alarm | ||
| Private surgery fees | ||
| Private chiropractors' fees | ||
| Mobile phone handsets | ||
| Small pet e.g. hamster | Single serve cat food | |
| Wrapping paper | Writing paper | |
| Laptop computers | ||
| DVDs purchased over the internet | ||
| Analogue camcorder | ||
| Child's electric toy | ||
| Gas barbecue | Dumbbells | |
| Liquid plant fertiliser | ||
| Admission to live music events and concerts | ||
| Fruit juice | ||
| Cinema popcorn | ||
| Canned drink in a staff restaurant | ||
| Sandwich in a staff restaurant | ||
| Champagne in e.g. a bar | ||
| One night in a hotel room | ||
| Razor cartridge blades | Disposable razors | |
| Gemstone ring | Gold bangle | |
| Trolley case luggage | Sports bag/ holdall | |
| In care home care assistants' fees | ||
| ATM charges | ||
| Self-storage fees | ||
| Home delivery charges | ||
| Solicitors' fees | ||
| 2006 | ||
| Frozen chicken breasts | Frozen boneless chicken thighs | |
| Chicken kiev | ||
| Frozen roasting chicken | ||
| Sliced salami | ||
| Small brown sliced loaf | ||
| Museli | ||
| Chocolate-coated biscuits | ||
| Frozen cake or gateau | ||
| Home-killed mince lamb | ||
| Flavoured milk | ||
| Coleslaw | ||
| Hot milk drink | ||
| Multipack of pure orange juice | ||
|
70-75cl bottle of champagne for home consumption
|
Imported sparkling wine | |
| 3 litre wine box | ||
| 20 mentholated cigarettes | Specific brand of cigarette | |
| Men's three-quarter length casual coat | Mens three-quarter length coat | |
| Women's three-quarter length casual coat | Women's overcoat | |
| Girl's trousers | Girl's dress | |
| Baseball cap | ||
| Adult's slippers | ||
| Child's sandals | ||
| Steel/Zinc plated screws | ||
| Home office desk | Bedside cabinet | |
| Dining room table | ||
| Grass/edge strimmer | ||
| Dishcloths | ||
| Nanny fees | ||
| 10 sachets of cold/flu drink powder | ||
| Contact lens solution | ||
| Exhaust fitting in 'fast fit' auto centre | ||
| Brake fitting in 'fast fix' auto centre | ||
| Personal MP3 player | Personal CD player | |
| Flat panel television | ||
| Digital camcorder | ||
| Music downloads | ||
| Water sports equipment | ||
| Child's swing | ||
| Child's trike | ||
| Flea drops | ||
| TV licence (only from CPI) | ||
| In-store cafeteria meal | ||
| Bottle of lager in a nightclub | ||
| Liquid foundation | ||
| After-school club charges | ||
| Fees for international money transfer | ||
| Child's car seat | ||
| 2007 | ||
| Olive oil | Vegetable oil | |
| Probiotic drink | ||
| Brie | ||
| Courgettes | Pre-packed vegetables | |
| Brocolli | Sprouts | |
| Catering on planes, boats and trains | ||
|
Can/bottle of fizzy drink from a vending machine
|
||
| Child's wellington boots | ||
| Man's leather boot | ||
| Non-designer Sunglasses | ||
| Designer framed spectacles | ||
| Shower head | ||
| Portable or free-standing fan | ||
| Credit card charge | ||
| Mortgage fees | ||
| Mobile downloads (e.g. ringtones) | ||
| Specified carat of solitaire diamond ring | Gemstone cluster ring | |
| Toothbrush | ||
| Satellite navigation system | ||
| Flat-panel television | Portable CRT television | |
| Widescreen CRT television | ||
| DAB radio | CD Cassette player | |
| CD in-car autochanger | ||
| VHS video recorder | ||
| Pre-recorded chart DVD (not a movie) | Pre-recorded VHS | |
| Blank DVD | Blank VHS tape | |
| Digital processing - up to 50 photos | Mail order develop and print of photos | |
| 35mm compact film camera | ||
| Decorative outdoor plant pot | ||
| Digital television installation fee | ||
| 2008 | ||
| Pure fruit smoothie | ||
| Peppers | ||
| Small-type oranges | ||
| Frozen vegetarian ready meal | ||
| Muffin in a restaurant or a cafe | ||
| 20 bottles of lager | Lager stubbies | |
| Washable carpet | ||
| Microwave oven | ||
| Next-day flower bouquet | Red rose delivered to Watford | |
| Steering lock | ||
| Non-chart CD | Top 40 CD single | |
| Portable digital storage device | 35mm camera film | |
| TV repair | ||
| Livery charges | ||
| 2009 | ||
| Hot, whole rotisserie chicken | ||
| Imported lamb | ||
| Parmesan cheese | Imported cheddar cheese | |
| Large free range eggs | Large eggs (not free range) | |
| Small individual yoghurt | Yoghurt/fromage frais | |
| Fresh double cream | Single cream | |
| Plums | ||
| Peaches / nectarines | Peaches | |
| Meat-based chilled ready meal | ||
| Vegetable- or fish- based ready meal | Chilled ready meal | |
| 500-750ml bottle of cider | 1-2litre bottle of cider | |
| Rose wine | Wine box | |
| Hire of domestic carpet shampoo/cleaner | Hire of domestic wallpaper strippers | |
| Hardwood flooring | ||
| Cat food in a pouch | Cat food in a can | |
| Replacement of a watch battery | Watch repair, cleaning & servicing | |
| Freeview box | ||
| MP4 player | MP3 player | |
| Bluray disc | ||
| TV rental | TV, video & DVD rental | |
| DVD rental internent subscription | ||
| 2010 | ||
| Garlic bread | Pitta bread | |
| Cereal bars | ||
| Frozen fish in breadcrumbs | ||
| Powdered baby formula | Baby food | |
| Bottled fruit drink | Carton of fruit drink | |
| Small bottle of still mineral water | Fizzy canned drinl | |
| Allergy tablets | ||
| Men's casual training shoe | ||
| Bluray disc players | ||
| Computer game with accessory (e.g guitar) | ||
| Electrical hair straighteners or tongs | Hairdryer | |
| Lip gloss | Lipstick | |
| Liquid soap | Individual bars of toilet soap | |
|
Household services maintaince insurance policy
|
Gas call-out charge | |
| Gas service charge | ||
| Eyesight test charge | ||
| Disposable camera | ||
| Squash court hire | ||
| 2011 | ||
| Oven-ready joint | Pork shoulder joint | |
| Dried fruit | ||
| Sparkling wine | ||
| 4 cans of lager | ||
| Vending machine cigarettes | ||
| Men's casual shirt long/short sleeved | Men's casual shirt, long sleeved | |
| Women's casual blouse/shirt | ||
| Women's casual outer jacket | ||
| Women's premium-branded dress | ||
| Girl's jacket | Girl's winter jacket | |
| Girl's summer jacket | ||
| Women's high heeled shoes | Women's party shoes | |
| Women's high heeled sensible shoes | ||
| Medium density fibreboard | Hardboard | |
| Spectacle frames with single vision lens | Spectacle frames sold without lenses | |
| Mobile phone apps | Mobile phone downloads | |
| Smart phone handsets | ||
| Flat panel TV 14-22 inch | Flat panel TV 14-25 inch | |
| Flat panel TV 23-32 inch | Flat panel TV 26-42 inch | |
| Flat panel TV 33 inch plus | ||
| Craft kit | ||
| Rosebush | ||
| Hardback book - fiction | ||
| Provincial newspaper | Morning provincial newspaper | |
| Evening provincial newspaper | ||
| Hair conditioner | ||
| Dating agency fees | ||
| Vet fees for spaying a kitten | ||
| 2012 | ||
| Hot oat cereal | ||
| Soft continental cheese | ||
| Pineapple | ||
| Bag of branded chocolate sweets | Candy coated chocolate | |
| Bag of non-chocolate sweets | Bag of boiled/jellied sweets | |
| 4 cans of stout | ||
| Walking/hiking boot | Outdoor adventure boot | |
| Glass casserole dish | ||
| Step ladder | ||
| Vehicle excise duty (added to CPI) | ||
| Bundled communication services | Subscription to cable television | |
| Tablet computers | ||
| TV licence (added to CPI) | ||
| Book - teenage fiction | ||
| Takeaway chicken and chips | ||
| Annual leisure centre membership | ||
| Develop & print 135 camera film | ||
| Baby wipes | ||
|
Trade union and professional organisation subscriptions (added to CPI)
|
||
| 2013 | ||
| Continental deli meat | ||
| Spreadable butter | Imported butter | |
| Block butter | Home produced butter | |
| Blueberries | ||
| Round lettuce | ||
| Vegetable stir-fry | ||
| Hot chocolate drink | ||
| White rum for home consumption | ||
| Men's t-shirt sold other than in sports shops | ||
| Kitchen wall unit | ||
| Basin taps | ||
| Daily disposable soft contact lenses, 30 pairs | One pair of soft contact lenses | |
| Digital TV recorder/receiver | Freeview box | |
| Electronic educational toy | ||
| Non-disposable charcoal barbecue | Gas barbecue | |
| eBooks | ||
| Hot or cold pub sandwich | Cold filled pub sandwich | |
| Bottle of champagne in a pub or bar | ||
| Pudding or dessert in a staff restaurant | ||
| Gas service charge | ||
| Computer game with accessory | ||
| 2014 | ||
| Flavoured milk | ||
| Fresh fruit snacking pot | ||
| Honey | ||
| Mixer drink | ||
| Men's clothing hire | ||
| Canvas fashion shoes | ||
| 100% manmade fibre tufted carpet | Tufted carpet | |
| 80% or higher wool tufted carpet | ||
| Wallpaper paste | ||
| Hardwood floor | ||
| Gardener's fees | ||
| Carwash, manual or automatic | Automatic car wash | |
| Interchangeable lens digital camera | ||
| Plant food | ||
| Wild bird seed | ||
| DVD recorder | ||
| DVD rental/video on demand subscription | DVD rental internet subscription | |
| Take-away coffee | ||
| After-school club fees | ||
| Fashion necklace | ||
Items on the same line are substitutes - either directly, or where an item has been removed to make space for another item.
For more information on how inflation is measured, and the methodology behind selecting the items in the basket of currency, visit the ONS website.
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