The Changing Tastes of the Nation are revealed
The changing tastes of the Nation have seen Rose wine and hot Rotisserie chicken added to the "cost of living" goods basket for the first time, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said today.
To make way for these new additions, Wine boxes and large bottles of cider amongst other items, have been removed from the basket.
A number of other items are also making their inaugural appearance in the inflation calculation basket. With a consumer shift towards more ethical shopping, free-range eggs have been included for the first time.
MP3 players, which a very short while ago were the hottest technology products on the market, have been removed to make room for next gen. MP4 video and audio players.
With the rise in eCommerce and Internet Shopping has come the removal from the list of Shop based DVD rental as more and more shoppers are using downloads and renting online. The latest generation Blu Ray discs have been included in the basket as shoppers search for better definition in their viewing experience. Freeview TV receivers also get added to the basket as people prepare for the Digital Changeover.
The Office of National statistics updates the 650 item basket of services and goods every year and gathers around 125000 prices every month to work out the calculations for inflation.
The vast majority of items remain the same although "fine tuning" of the basket takes place on a yearly basis.
The latest fine tuning has shown some dramatic changes in spending in certain areas, for example households now spend more money on lighting and fuel than in recent years, also tastes in decorations and furnishings are changing, with hardwood flooring now replacing laminate flooring.
