The smart speaker, baking items and flavoured teas are among sixteen items added to the basket of goods Consumer Prices Index announced today by the Office of National Statistics while items such as washing powder and Hi Fi systems have been removed.
The popularity of baking programmes has certainly led to baking trays and roasting dishes being added while the removal of music systems replaced by the Smart speaker shows the continued trend towards streaming music.
The three-piece suite and crockery sets, once signs of an upwardly-mobile household, have also been taken out as people tend to buy individual items of furniture, rather than a set. The former has been replaced by single settees and the latter by just dinner plate
The use of washing powder meanwhile has been overtaken by washing liquid while there is now a place for electric toothbrushes in the basket.
