Virtual reality headsets, yoga mats, and men’s pool sliders have been included in the shopping basket used to calculate the cost of living in Britain, while local newspaper adverts and oven-ready gammon joints have been removed. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has taken into consideration shifting fashion trends and the growing consumer demand for quicker food options and future technologies in its annual review of its inflation basket.
Sales of VR headsets have increased rapidly, with annual sales expected to rise from around £350 million last year to £520 million by 2029. The decline of the newspaper industry led to the ONS removing printed adverts from local papers, as consumers typically place them online instead. Pulled pork replaced oven-ready gammon joints in the shopping basket to reflect the preference for more convenient food options.
The addition of men’s pool sliders reflects the fashion choice of wearing sandals without socks, popularized by former Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak, to attract young voters. The ONS also added yoga mats to the shopping basket to represent the continuing popularity of home workouts during lockdowns.
Stephen Burgess, the ONS deputy director for prices, stated that the changes reflect evolving consumer spending patterns. The addition of virtual reality headsets demonstrates the appetite for emerging technology, while the removal of printed newspaper adverts showcases the shift towards online advertising. The convenience of pulled pork over oven-ready gammon joints, amidst busy lifestyles, is also a factor in the basket changes.
The ONS calculates the annual inflation rate by tracking the price changes of a range of goods and services. The latest figures show that inflation reached 3% in January, below the 11.1% peak recorded in late 2022. The next inflation reading and the chancellor’s spring statement are scheduled for March 26th. The basket of over 700 items represents spending habits and reflects changes in consumer behavior.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/18/vr-headsets-uk-inflation-basket-ons
