Tablets and bundled broadband packages have been added to Britain’s official shopping basket to track inflation.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) tracks price changes of commonly purchased items. Every year, the Government body updates its virtual shopping basket to ensure it’s including the right items.
This year, it’s added tablet computers – specifically name-checking the iPad, despite the price of the most recent version not changing since its launch.
“This mirrors the evolution of computer equipment through desktop personal computers, laptops and now tablets, and they are being introduced to capture price changes in this rapidly expanding market,” the ONS said.
The ONS also included phone, broadband and TV bundles for the first time. “The three component parts were already in the basket but the bundle reflects the way in which consumers are increasingly buying these services,” it said.
The stats body removed charges for developing photographic film, as fewer people use such services following the move to digital cameras.
Tech items weren’t the only additions, as the ONS added teen-focused fiction books, cans of stout, pineapples, and takeaway chicken and chips to its diverse shopping list.
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