UK inflation: What is inside the basket of goods and services?

Customers shop for groceries in a supermarket in London October 18, 2011. Reuters

UK inflation is calculated by measuring the price of a "basket" of goods and services. The contents are updated annually to keep up with consumer habits and tastes.

The latest changes were made in February 2015 and saw the removal of yoghurt drink, cut flowers, and frozen pizza. The latter was replaced by chilled pizza, while other additions included oven-ready gammon and pork joint, ale and protein powder.

The components of the "basket" are weighted by category as follows:

Food and non-alcoholic beverages 11%
Alcohol and tobacco 4.3%
Clothing and footwear 7%
Housing and household services 12.8%
Furniture and household goods 5.9%
Health 2.5%
Transport 14.9%
Communication 3.1%
Recreation and culture 14.7%
Education 2.6%
Restaurants and hotels 12.1%
Miscellaneous goods and services 9.1%

Below is the full list of goods in the inflation basket:

FOOD

Bread and Cereals

Large white loaves - sliced and unsliced
Large wholemeal loaf
Bread rolls
Garlic bread
Flour
Rice
Pasta
Breakfast cereals
Various selected biscuits
Corn based snacks
Doughnuts
Sponge cakes
Crackers
Pack of individual cakes
Chilled pizza
Fruit pies
Dehydrated noodles/pasta
Chocolate wafers
Cereal bars
Hot oat cereal

Meat

Beef
Rump steak
Topside
Mince
Frozen burgers
Lamb
Loin chops
Shoulder
Leg
Pork
Loin chops
Back bacon
Gammon
Oven-ready joint

Chicken

Fresh/chilled whole chicken
Fresh chicken breasts
Frozen chicken breasts
Rotisserie cooked hot whole chicken

Other Meats

Pork sausages
Meat pies
Cooked meats – eg ham
Fresh turkey steaks
Canned meats
Frozen chicken nuggets
Chicken kievs
Liver
Continental deli type meat

Fish

Fresh white fish fillets
Fresh salmon fillets
Canned tuna
Fish fingers
Frozen prawns
Frozen breaded/battered white fish

Milk, Cheese and Eggs

Full-fat and semi-skimmed milk – shop-bought and delivered
Flavoured milk
Fresh cream
Yoghurt
Fromage frais
Chilled pot dessert
Various sized eggs
Cheddar – home-produced
Edam
Parmesan
Soft continental cheese
Other regional cheeses
Cheese spread
Powdered baby formula

Oils and Fats

Margarine/low fat spread
Olive oil
Block butter
Spreadable butter

Fruit

Cooking apples
Dessert apples
Pears
Bananas
Strawberries
Grapes
Oranges
Grapefruit
Avocado pears
Peaches/nectarines
Kiwi fruit
Organic fruit
Various canned fruits
Salted/roasted peanuts
Plums
Small oranges
Dried fruit
Pineapple
Blueberries
Fresh fruit snacking pot
Melon

Vegetables

Loose and pre-packed potatoes – old, new and baking varieties
Crisps – single and multi-packs
Peppers
Frozen chips
Fresh tomatoes
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Mushrooms
Onions
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Canned baked beans
Organic vegetables
Broccoli
Canned tomatoes
Courgettes
Canned sweetcorn
Frozen peas
Vegetarian burger/grills
Vegetable pickle
Pre-packed salad
Vegetable stir fry
Sweet Potato

Sugar, Jam, Syrups, Chocolate and Confectionery

Sugar
Various jams
Honey
Ice cream
Various selected popular brands of sweets, chocolates, gum and mints
Food Products (not elsewhere classified)
Soup
Ready cooked meals
Various sauces – eg tomato sauce, mayonnaise
Protein powder

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Coffee, Tea and Cocoa
Tea bags
Ground coffee
Instant coffee
Hot chocolate drink
Mineral Waters, Soft Drinks and Juices
Various pure fruit juices
Squashes
Fruit drink
Fruit smoothie
Mineral water
Cola
Lemonade
Various fizzy drinks
Mixer drinks
Energy drinks

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES (OFF SALES)

Spirits

Whisky
Vodka
Brandy
Spirit based drinks
Rum

Wine

Bottled white wine
Bottled red wine
Bottled rose wine
Fortified wine
Sparkling wine
Champagne
Bottled cider

Beer

Canned lager
Canned bitter
Bottled lager
Canned stout
Bottled speciality beer/ale

Tobacco

Selected brand cigarettes
Hand rolling tobacco
Mentholated cigarettes
Cigars
Electronic cigarette refills/liquid

CLOTHING

Garments - Men's Clothing:

Suit
Coat
Trousers – formal, casual
Casual jacket
Jumper Jeans
Various shirts
T shirt
Tracksuit bottom
Branded sports sweatshirt
Shorts
Replica football team shirt
Underwear
Socks

Garments - Women's Clothing:

Blouse
Skirt – formal, casual
Dress
Trousers – formal, casual
Jeans
T shirt
Top
Shorts
Cardigan
Jacket – formal, casual
Coat
Jumper
Rainwear
Swimwear
Underwear
Tights
Nightwear
Children's
Clothing
Schoolwear – trousers, skirt
Tops – sports and fashion
Jumper/sweatshirt
Jeans
Underwear
Jacket
Pyjamas
Socks
Babygro/sleepsuit
Trousers

Other Clothing and Clothing Accessories

Man's tie
Knitting wool
Lady's scarf
Cleaning, Repair and Hire of Clothing
Dry-cleaning
Men's clothing hire
Footwear Including Repairs
Shoes – formal, school, casual and fashion
Boots – formal, fashion and walking/hiking boot
Training shoes
Sandals

HOUSING

Actual Rents for Housing
Private furnished and unfurnished rent
Local authority rent
Registered social landlord (RSL) rent
UK holiday accommodation (self-catered)
Owner occupiers housing costs (only in CPIH)
Imputed rent in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales

Regular Maintenance and Repair of the Dwelling:

Materials for Maintenance and Repair
Ready mixed filler
Wallpaper
Varnish
Paint
Emulsion
Paintbrush
Ceramic tiles
Shower head
Medium density fibreboard (MDF)
Softwood
Services for Maintenance and Repair
Fees charged by plumbers, electricians, carpenters and decorators
Water Supply and Miscellaneous Services for the Dwelling:
Water Supply
Average water charges
Sewerage Collection
Average sewerage and environmental charges

ELECTRICITY, GAS AND OTHER FUELS

Electricity

Average of the electricity companies' tariffs

Gas

Average of the gas companies' tariffs
Butane gas
Liquid Fuels
Kerosene
Solid Fuels
Coal
Smokeless fuel

FURNITURE, FURNISHINGS AND CARPETS

Furniture and Furnishings

Dining room furniture – eg table, chairs
Bedroom furniture – eg wardrobe, beds, chest of drawers
Living room furniture – eg armchair, sofa bed, leather settee, bookcase, table lamp
Kitchen furniture – various kitchen units
Office furniture – home office desk
Outdoor furniture – patio set
Carpets and Other Floor Coverings
Selected carpets
Laminate floor covering
Rug

Household textiles

Curtains
Fabric roller blind
Duvet
Duvet cover
Bed sheet
Towels

Household Appliances, Fitting and Repairs

Cooker – electric
Cooker – gas
Fridge/freezer
Dishwasher
Vacuum cleaner
Washing machine
Gas
Fire
Selected small appliances – eg iron, kettle, fan heater, electric fan
Repair of Household Appliances
Electrical service charges
Washing machine repair
Glassware, Tableware and Household Utensils
Kitchen equipment – eg pans, scissors, plastic food container
Tableware – eg crockery set, cutlery set
Glassware – eg tumbler
Flower vase

Tools and Equipment for House and Garden

Battery
Light bulb
Lawnmower
Other gardening equipment – eg spade
Power tools – eg hammer drill
Other tools – eg screwdriver
Door handle
Power point
Hire of domestic carpet shampoo/cleaner

GOODS AND SERVICES FOR ROUTINE HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE

Non-Durable Household Goods

Washing powder
Washing-up liquid
Dishwasher tablets
Aluminium foil
Bin liners
Household cleaner cream/liquid
Fabric conditioner
Bleach
Kitchen roll
Clear sticky tape
Woodscrews

Domestic Services and Household Services

Domestic help fees
Window cleaning fees
Nanny fees

MEDICAL PRODUCTS, APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT

Pharmaceutical Products
NHS prescription charges
Multi-vitamins tablets
Selected medicines – eg indigestion tablets, aspirin, packets of cold/flu drink powder, allergy tablets
Other Medical and Therapeutic Products
Condoms
Plasters
Spectacle frames
Prescription lenses
Contact lenses

OUT-PATIENT SERVICES

Medical Services and Paramedical Services
Non NHS medical services – eg physiotherapy, chiropractic medicine
Dental Services
NHS dental charges Private dental examination
Hospital Services
Hospital charges, including private surgery fees
Nursing home fees

PURCHASE OF VEHICLES

Cars

New cars
Second hand cars

Motorcycles and Bicycles

Motorcycles
Bicycles

OPERATION OF PERSONAL TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT

Spare Parts and Accessories
Selected spare parts and accessories - eg wiper blade, battery, tyres, bulbs
Fuels and Lubricants
Ultra low sulphur petrol
Ultra low sulphur diesel
Motor oil
Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs

Car service

Labour charge for vehicle repairs
Car wash
Roadside recovery services
Exhaust/brake fitting at fast fit auto centre
Other Services
MOT test fees
Car park charges
Driving lesson fees
Driving test fees
Road tolls Self-drive car and van hire charges
Vehicle excise duty

TRANSPORT SERVICES

Passenger Transport by Railway
UK rail fares
London transport fares
Euro Tunnel fares
Other underground/metro fares
Passenger Transport by Road
Bus fares
Minicab fares
Coach fares
Taxi fares
Charge for home removals
Passenger Transport by Air
Air fares
Passenger Transport by Sea and Inland Waterway
Various ferry and sea fares
Postal Services
Postal charges

TELEPHONE AND TELEFAX EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

Telephone

Mobile phone handset
Smart phone handset Mobile phone charges – PAYG and contract
Fixed line telephone charges
Cost of directory enquiries
Subscription to the internet
Mobile phone applications
Bundled communication services
Mobile phone accessory

AUDIO-VISUAL EQUIPMENT AND RELATED PRODUCTS

Reception and Reproduction of Sound and Pictures

DVD player
Audio systems
Blu-ray disc player
Digital (DAB) radio
Flat panel televisions
Personal MP4 player
Digital television recorder/receiver
Headphones

Photographic, Cinematographic and Optical Equipment

Digital compact camera
Interchangeable lens digital camera
Digital camcorder
Data Processing Equipment
PCs – desktop and laptop
PC peripherals
Tablet computer
Recording Media
CDs, including CDs purchased over the internet
Pre-recorded DVDs, including DVDs purchased over the internet
Pre-recorded Blu-ray discs, including discs purchased over the internet
Recordable CD
Selected CD-ROMs
Rewritable DVD
Music downloads
Portable digital storage device
Repair of Audio-Visual Equipment and Related Products
Various electrical equipment repair charges - eg PC

Major Durables for Recreation and Culture

Caravans
Boats
Acoustic guitar
Livery charges
Water sports equipment – eg windsurfing equipment

OTHER RECREATIONAL ITEMS, GARDENS AND PETS

Games, Toys and Hobbies

Various toys - eg soft toys, construction toys, activity toys, dolls, electronic educational toys
Child's swing
Child's tricycle
Computer games, including games purchased over the internet
Computer games console
Board game
Craft kit
Equipment for Sport and Open Air Recreation
Sports equipment - eg golf balls, squash racquet, football, fishing rod, football boots
Sleeping bag
Barbecue

Gardens, Plants and Flowers

Selected varieties of plants, cut flowers, seeds and including flowers purchased over the internet
Compost
Plant food
Flower delivery

Pets, Related Products and Services

Cat and dog food – moist and dry Wild bird seed
Small pet – eg hamster
Animal cage
Dog kennel boarding fees
Annual booster injection

Recreational and Cultural Services

Recreational and Sporting Services
Fees for leisure evening classes
Private health club/gym membership
Charges for exercise classes
Swimming pool admissions
Ten-pin bowling session
Golf green fees
Football match admissions
Horseracing admissions
Admission to other attractions
Games consoles online subscriptions
Cultural Services
DVD rental/video on demand subscription services
Digital TV subscriptions
Rental of various types of TV
Television licence
Digital photo processing
Music streaming subscriptions
Admission to cinemas, theatres, live music, night-clubs, historic monuments and other cultural events

BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS AND STATIONERY

Books

Adult, teenage and children's fiction and non-fiction paperback and hardback books
Reference books
eBooks

Newspapers and Periodicals

National daily newspapers
Sunday newspapers
Provincial newspapers
Periodicals

Miscellaneous Printed Matter, Stationery, Drawing Materials

Ball point pen
Envelopes
Wrapping paper
Greeting card
Printer paper
Inkjet cartridge
Package Holidays
Package holidays covering a range of foreign destinations, accommodation and holiday types, including late-booked holidays
UK holidays covering a range of accommodation and holiday types but excluding self-catering

EDUCATION

Private school fees
Evening classes
International student fees
UK university tuition fees

CATERING SERVICES

Restaurants and Cafes

Restaurant main course
Restaurant sweet course
Restaurant cup of coffee
Pub hot meals
Pub hot/cold snack
Burger in bun – eat in
In store cafeteria meal
Muffin

Take-Aways and Snacks

Fish and chips
Pasty/savoury pie
Burger in bun – take-away
Kebab
Chicken and chips
Tea
Coffee latte
Soft drink
Ethnic take-away
Sandwich
Vending machine fizzy drink
Pizza delivery/take-away
Cinema popcorn
Crisps

Beer On Sales

Draught bitter
Draught lager
Draught stout
Draught/bottled cider
Bottled lager

Wines and Spirits On Sales

Whisky
Vodka
Wine Spirit based drink
Liqueurs
Mixer

Soft drinks

Fizzy drinks
Fruit juice
Bottled mineral water
Catering
Cost of catering for a function
On board catering

Canteens

Staff restaurant main course
Staff restaurant sandwich
Staff restaurant hot snack
Staff restaurant soft drink
Prices for school meals

Accommodation Services

Youth Hostel Association
Halls of residence
Other accommodation services

PERSONAL CARE

Hairdressing fees
Full leg wax
Basic manicure
Slimming club fees

Appliances and Products for Personal Care

Electrical hair straighteners/tongs
Electric razor
Toilet roll
Tissues
Disposable nappies
Toothbrush
Tampons
Baby wipes
Various cosmetics – eg lip gloss, face cream, perfume, mascara, liquid foundation
Toiletries - eg toothpaste, deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, hair gel, permanent hair
colourant, razor cartridge blades, sunscreen cream/lotion, liquid soap, hair
conditioner
Jewellery, Clocks and Watches
Watch
Watch battery replacement
Various items of personal jewellery - eg gold chain, solid gold ring, diamond solitaire ring, sterling silver earrings, fashion earrings, fashion necklace

Other Personal Effects