THE nation’s changing tastes has seen rosé wine and hot rotisserie chicken added to the goods basket used to measure the cost of living, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have said.
Wine boxes and large “party-sized” bottles of cider were among items axed to make way for the new additions, which make their inaugural appearance in the basket, according to the ONS.
Increasing demand for free-range eggs has also seen them included in a sign of the shift towards more ethical food shopping.
The ONS has ejected MP3 players in its annual review to make space for the latest generation of MP4 players, which play video as well as audio.
The rise in e-shopping and downloading has meanwhile seen shop-based DVD rental hire removed and the Blu-ray disc included as consumers look for higher-definition formats. Freeview TV receiver boxes are another to go in, with sales rising as the digital TV switchover approaches. The ONS updates its 650-strong basket of goods and services annually to better reflect public spending habits.
It collects around 120,000 prices each month to calculate inflation levels in the UK. The majority of goods stay the same, although the ONS said its review allows it to “fine tune” the basket.
Rotisserie chicken is included as Britons spend more on hot takeaway food in supermarkets, while the switch from large one to two-litre cider bottles demonstrates current higher demand.
