Sports bras and crop tops have been added to the basket of goods used to calculate inflation - but men's suits are out as part of the annual review, Sky News reports. The Office for National Statistics makes changes to the list of more than 700 items every 12 months in order to reflect consumer spending habits.
The removal of men's suits reflects the increasing number of people working from home since the coronavirus pandemic, while the ONS said sports bras had been added to reflect an exercise boom. The inflation basket is designed to be "representative of the goods and services that consumers typically spend their money on" and reflect "changing tastes and habits".
ONS head of economic statistics Sam Beckett said the latest changes show "the impact of the pandemic still evident in our shopping habits". She said: "With many people still working from home, demand for more formal clothing has continued to decrease.
"So, men's suits disappear from the basket and are replaced with a formal jacket or blazer. Last year's lockdown living saw an increase in the number of us working out and exercising. That has continued into 2022 with the addition of the sports bra into the basket reflecting greater spending on sports clothing."
Other changes include a single doughnut being removed from the basket as individual cake sales decline in favour of multipacks - another change attributed to home working. Surface wipes have been added amid the ongoing high demand for antibacterial products, while dog and cat collars come in following an increase in pet ownership. Canned beans, chickpeas, lentils and meat free sausages enter the list as the number of people adopting vegan or vegetarian diets continues to grow, with 19 items in total added this year, 15 removed and 715 unchanged.
The ONS has also announced changes to the way it presents inflation figures in order to reflect the ongoing cost of living increase. There have been claims that the statistics fail to reflect the extent of inflation for those on the lowest incomes, so February's inflation figures – which are due next week – will be published alongside a personal inflation calculator to enable individuals to work out their own costs.
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