What's in Your Basket?

Looking at the ONS' basket of goods for the RPI, I was keeping an eye out for possible regional variance.  In truth, I think the ONS has (as you'd expect from statisticians) left no room for criticism.

 

However, it's not a complaint, but I did wonder if there is in fact regional variations - does the cost of bread rise differently in different regions, for example?  I'm curious now, with no way of finding out, unless the ONS collects the data regionally and stores it that way?

 

Finally - the only thing I could see on the list, which is affected by political (rather than market) decisions is the cost of public transport.  Ken Livingstone has successfully managed to bring the cost of travelling by public transport down in the capital (using his preferential treatment from the Treasury - London receives at least three times the subsidy per capita than anywhere else in the UK on transport), while costs outside rise.  In truth, the capital is so expensive anyway that this minor variance will not mean a hill of beans - but it is the only element of the basket which seems to me to be more affected by politics than the market.

 

Below is the list of items that are counted.

 

Food

 

Bread

·         Large white loaves - sliced and unsliced

·         Large wholemeal loaf

·         Bread rolls

·         Pitta bread

 

Cereal

·         Flour

·         Rice

·         Pasta

·         Breakfast cereals

·         Corn based snacks

 

Biscuits and Cakes

·         Various selected biscuits

·         Sponge cakes

·         Doughnuts

·         Pack of individually wrapped cakes

·         Fruit pies

·         Crackers

·         Chocolate wafers

 

Beef

·         Rump steak

·         Braising steak

·         Mince Topside

·         Frozen beefburgers

 

Home-Killed Lamb

·         Loin chops

·         Shoulder

 

Imported Lamb

·         Leg

 

Pork

·         Loin chops

·         Shoulder

 

Bacon

·         Gammon

·         Back

 

Poultry

·         Fresh / chilled chicken

·         Fresh chicken breasts

·         Frozen chicken breasts

·         Fresh turkey steaks

·         Rotisserie cooked hot whole chicken

 

Other Meat

·         Pork sausages

·         Cooked meats – eg ham

·         Meat pies

·         Canned meats

·         Frozen chicken nuggets

·         Chicken kievs

 

Fresh Fish

·         White fish fillets

·         Salmon fillets

·         Frozen prawns

·         Processed Fish

·         Canned tuna

·         Fish fingers

 

Butter

·         Home-produced and imported butter

 

Oils and Fats

·         Margarine / low fat spread

·         Olive oil

 

Cheese

·         Cheddar - home-produced

·         Parmesan cheese

·         Selected speciality cheeses

·         Other regional cheeses

·         Cheese spread

 

Eggs

·         Various sized eggs

 

Milk

·         Full-fat and semi-skimmed milk - shop-bought and delivered

·         Milk Products

·         Fresh cream

·         Pro-biotic drink

·         Yoghurt

·         Fromage frais

·         Chilled pot dessert

 

Tea

·         Tea bags

·         Coffee and Hot Drinks

·         Ground coffee

·         Instant coffee

 

Soft Drinks

·         Various pure fruit juices

·         Squashes

·         Lemonade

·         Cola

·         Mineral water

·         Various fizzy drinks – cans and bottles

·         Energy drinks

·         Fruit smoothie

 

Sugar and Preserves

·         Sugar

·         Various jams

 

Sweets and Chocolates

·         Various selected popular brands of sweets, chocolates, gum and mints

 

Unprocessed Potatoes

·         White loose and pre-packed potatoes – old and new varieties

 

Processed Potatoes

·         Crisps - single and multi-packs

·         Frozen chips

 

Fresh Vegetables

·         Fresh tomatoes

·         Cabbages

·         Cauliflowers

·         Carrots

·         Mushrooms

·         Onions

·         Lettuce

·         Cucumbers

·         Courgettes

·         Organic vegetable

·         Broccoli

·         Peppers

 

Processed Vegetables

·         Canned tomatoes

·         Canned baked beans

·         Canned sweet corn

·         Frozen peas

 

Fresh Fruit

·         Cooking apples

·         Dessert apples

·         Pears

·         Bananas

·         Strawberries

·         Grapes

·         Oranges

·         Grapefruit

·         Avocado pears

·         Peaches / nectarines

·         Kiwi fruit

·         Organic fruit

·         Small oranges

·         Plums

 

Processed Fruit

·         Various canned fruits

·         Salted / roasted peanuts

 

Other Foods

·         Soup

·         Various sauces – eg tomato sauce, mayonnaise, pickle

·         Ready cooked meals

·         Other convenience foods – eg frozen pizza, dehydrated noodles / pasta

·         Ice cream

·         Baby food

 

 

Catering

 

Restaurant Meals

·         Restaurant main course

·         Restaurant sweet course

·         Restaurant cup of coffee

·         Pub hot meal

·         Pub cold snack

·         Burger in bun

·         In store cafeteria meal

·         Fizzy drinks

·         Fruit juice

·         Bottled mineral water

·         On board catering

·         Muffin

 

Canteen Meals

·         Staff restaurant main course

·         Staff restaurant dessert / pudding

·         Staff restaurant hot snack

·         Staff restaurant sandwich

·         Staff restaurant soft drink

·         Prices for school meals

 

Take-aways and Snacks

·         Fish and chips

·         Pasty / savoury pie

·         Burger in bun

·         Kebab

·         Sandwich

·         Coffee

·         Tea

·         Caffe latte

·         Ethnic take-away

·         Pizza delivery / takeaway

·         Soft drink Crisps

·         Cinema popcorn

·         Vending machine drink

 

 

Alcoholic Drink

 

Beer On Sales

·         Draught bitter

·         Draught Lager

·         Draught stout

·         Draught cider

·         Bottled lager

·         Bottled cider

 

Beer Off Sales

·         Canned lager

·         Canned bitter

·         Bottled cider

·         Bottled lager

 

Wines and Spirits On Sales

·         Whisky

·         Vodka

·         Wine

·         Champagne

·         Liqueurs

·         Spirit based drink

·         Mixer

 

Wines and Spirits Off Sales

·         Whisky

·         Vodka

·         Brandy

·         Bottled white wine

·         Bottled red wine

·         Champagne

·         Fortified wine

·         Bottled rose wine

Spirit based drink

 

 

Tobacco

 

·         Cigarettes

·         Selected brands

·         Vending machine cigarettes

·         Mentholated

·         Other Tobacco

·         Cigars

·         Hand rolling tobacco

 

 

Housing

 

Rent

·         Private furnished rent

·         Private unfurnished rent

·         Local authority rent

·         Registered Social Landlord (RSL) rent

 

Mortgage Interest

·         Average interest payments (estimated/modelled)

 

Depreciation

·         Depreciation costs proxy (price index for houses purchased with a mortgage)

 

Council Tax

·         Average council tax bills for households in Great Britain

·         Average rates bills in Northern Ireland

 

Water and Other Charges

·         Average water charges

·         Average sewerage and environmental charges

 

Repair and Maintenance Charges

·         Fees charged by plumbers, electricians, carpenters and decorators

·         Gas service charges

 

DIY Materials

·         Ready mixed filler

·         Wallpaper

·         Wallpaper paste

·         Paint

·         Varnish

·         Paint brush

·         Various tools - eg hammer drill, screwdriver

·         Aluminium ladder

·         Door handle

·         Taps

·         Power point

·         Shower head

·         Pieces of timber

·         Ceramic tiles

·         Hire of domestic carpet shampoo/cleaner

·         Woodscrews

 

Dwelling Insurance and Ground Rent

·         Dwelling insurance premiums of selected companies

·         Ground rent proxy (price index for houses purchased with a mortgage)

 

 

Fuel and Light

 

Coal and Solid Fuels

·         Coal

·         Smokeless fuel

·         Electricity

·         Average of the electricity companies’ tariffs

 

Gas

·         Average of the gas companies’ tariffs

 

Oil and Other Fuels

·         Butane gas

·         Kerosene

 

 

Household Goods

 

Furniture

·         Dining room furniture – eg table, chairs

·         Bedroom furniture – eg wardrobe, beds

·         Living room furniture – eg armchair, sofa bed, leather settee, bookcase, table lamp

·         Kitchen furniture – various kitchen units

·         Office furniture – home office desk

·         Outdoor furniture – eg wooden patio set

 

Furnishings

·         Selected carpets

·         Rug

·         Laminate floor covering

·         Hardwood floor covering

·         Curtains

·         Fabric roller blind

·         Duvet

·         Duvet cover

·         Bed sheet

·         Towels

 

Electrical Appliances

·         Cooker – electric

·         Washing machine

·         Fridge / freezer

·         Dishwasher

·         Vacuum cleaner

·         Telephone

·         Mobile phone handsets

·         Selected small appliances – eg iron, kettle, fan heater, fan

·         Personal appliances – eg hair dryer, electric razor

 

Other Household Equipment

·         Cooker - gas

·         Gas fire

·         Kitchen equipment - eg ovenware, pans, scissors, plastic food container

·         Tableware - eg crockery set, cutlery set

·         Glassware - eg tumbler

 

Household Consumables

·         Washing powder

·         Washing-up liquid

·         Dishwasher tablets

·         Light bulbs

·         Aluminium foil

·         Toilet rolls

·         Kitchen roll

·         Fabric conditioner

·         Bin liners

·         Household cream cleaner

·         Bleach

·         Ball point pen

·         Wrapping paper

·         Envelopes Greeting card

·         Printer paper

·         Inkjet cartridge

·         Clear sticky tape

·         Batteries

 

Pet Care

·         Cat and dog food – moist and dry

·         Small pet – eg hamster

·         Animal cage

·         Vets’ fees

·         Annual booster injection

·         Dog kennel boarding fees

 

 

Household Services

 

Postal Charges

·         Charges for letters, parcels, postal orders

 

Telephone Charges

·         Fixed line telephone charges – eg line/instrument rentals, call and operator charges

·         Mobile phone charges – PAYG and contract Mobile downloads

·         Subscription to the Internet Cost of directory enquiries

 

Domestic Services

·         Domestic help fees In home care assistant fees

·         Childminder fees

·         Nanny fees

·         Playgroup fees

·         After school club charges

·         Gardeners’ fees

·         Window cleaning fees

·         Dry cleaning charges

·         Driving lesson fees

·         Home delivery charges

·         Charge for home removals

·         Self-storage fees

·         Electrical service charges

·         Charge for various electrical equipment repairs - eg washing machine, PC

·         Cost of catering for a function

·         Watch battery replacement

 

Fees and Subscriptions

·         Trade unions and professional organisations subscriptions

·         Estate agents’ fees

·         House conveyancing fees

·         Surveyors’ fee for house valuation

·         Charge for home buyers’ survey

·         Home contents’ insurance premiums

·         Fee for birth and death certificates

·         Marriage licences

·         Passport fees

·         Various bank fees – eg overdraft charges

·         Money transfer fees

·         Foreign exchange commission

·         Driving test fees

·         Private school fees

·         Evening classes

·         Solicitors’ fees – including will drafting

·         UK university tuition fees

·         Cost of basic funeral / cremation

·         Pet insurance

·         Nursery fees

·         Mortgage arrangement fees

·         Charges for advertisements in newspapers - local, national

 

 

Clothing and Footwear

 

Men’s Outerwear

·         Suit

·         Casual coat

·         Trousers - formal, casual

·         Casual jacket

·         Fleece

·         Jeans

·         Jumper

·         Various shirts

·         Tracksuit bottom

·         T shirt

·         Shorts

·         Replica football team shirt

·         Branded sports sweatshirt

 

Women’s Outwear

·         Blouse

·         Skirt

·         Dress

·         Trousers

·         Jeans

·         T shirt

·         Top

·         Shorts

·         Cardigan

·         Jacket

·         Casual Coat

·         Jumper

·         Rainwear

·         Swimwear

 

Children’s Outerwear

·         Schoolwear – trousers, skirt

·         Tops – sports and fashion

·         Jeans

·         Jumper / sweatshirt

·         Jacket

·         Babygro / sleepsuit

·         Trousers

 

Other Clothing

·         Underwear – eg pants and bra

·         Socks

·         Tights

·         Nightwear – eg nightdress/pyjamas

·         Tie

·         Scarf

·         Knitting wool

 

Footwear

·         Shoes – formal, school, casual and fashion

·         Boots – formal, fashion and outdoor/adventure

·         Training shoes – sportswear and casual

·         Sandals

 

 

Personal Goods and Services

 

Personal Articles

·         Umbrella

·         Handbag

·         Watch

·         Spectacle frames

·         Prescription lenses

·         Contact lenses

·         Luggage – trolley case

·         Flower vase

·         Picture / photo frame

·         Wall hanging mirror

·         Various items of personal jewellery

 

Chemists’ Goods

·         NHS prescription charges

·         Multi-vitamins tablets

·         Condoms

·         Tampons

·         Disposable nappies

·         Tissues

·         Selected medicines and surgical goods - eg indigestion tablets, pain killer tablets, packets of cold/flu drink powder, plasters

·         Toiletries - eg toilet soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, hair gel, permanent hair colourant, razor cartridge blades, sunscreen cream / lotion

·         Various cosmetics - eg lipstick, face cream, perfume, mascara, liquid foundation

 

Personal Services

·         Hairdressing charges

·         Full leg wax

·         Basic manicure

·         Dental charges

·         Eye test charges

·         Dental insurance

·         Subscriptions to private medical plans

·         Private surgery fees

·         Non NHS medical services – eg physiotherapy, chiropractic medicine

·         Residential and nursing home fees

·         Slimming club fees

·         Flower delivery

 

 

Motoring Expenditure

 

Purchase of Motor Vehicles

·         Second-hand cars

·         Proxy for new cars

·         New motorcycles

·         Second-hand motorcycles

·         Caravans

 

Maintenance of Motor Vehicles

·         Car service

·         MOT test fees

·         Roadside recovery services

·         Automatic car wash

·         Exhaust / brake fitting at fast fit auto centre

·         Hourly labour charge for car mechanical repairs

·         Selected spare parts and accessories - eg wiper blade, battery, tyres

 

Petrol and Oil

·         Ultra low sulphur petrol

·         Ultra low sulphur diesel

·         Motor oil

 

Vehicle Tax and Insurance

·         Vehicle excise duty

·         Selection of premiums charged by a sample of motor insurance companies

 

 

Fares and Other Travel Costs

 

Rail Fares

·         UK rail fares

·         London Transport fares

·         EuroTunnel fares

·         Other underground/metro fares

·         Bus and Coach Fares

·         Fares charged by principal bus and coach operators

 

Other Travel Costs

·         Taxi fares

·         Minicab fares

·         Self-drive car and van hire charges

·         Various ferry and sea fares

·         Air fares

·         Road tolls

·         Other means of transport - eg bicycles, boats

·         Car park charges

·         Push chair

 

 

Leisure Goods

 

Audio-Visual Equipment

·         Flat panel televisions

·         DVD player

·         Digital radio

·         DVD recorder

·         Personal MP4 player

·         PCs – desktop and laptop

·         Audio systems

·         PC peripherals

·         Satellite navigation system

·         Freeview Box

 

CDs and Tapes

·         Pre-recorded DVDs, including DVDs purchased over the Internet

·         CDs, including CDs purchased over the Internet

·         Recordable CD

·         Selected CD-ROMs

·         Rewritable DVD

·         Music downloads

·         Pre recorded Blu-ray disc

 

Toys, Photographic and Sports Goods

·         Various toys, including some toys purchased over the Internet – eg soft toys, construction toys, activity toys, dolls

·         Board games

·         Computer games consoles

·         Computer games

·         Digital camera

·         Digital camcorder

·         Disposable cameras

·         Film and digital processing

·         Acoustic guitar

·         Child’s swing

·         Child’s tricycle

·         Sleeping bag

·         Barbecue (gas)

·         Sports equipment – eg golf balls, squash racquet, football, fishing rod, football boots

·         Water sports equipment – eg windsurfing equipment

·         Portable digital storage device

 

Books and Newspapers

·         Adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction paperback and hardback books – including some books purchased over the Internet

·         National daily newspapers

·         Sunday newspapers

·         Provincial newspapers

·         Adults' periodicals

 

Gardening Products

·         Compost

·         Selected varieties of plants, bushes, cut flowers, seeds including flowers purchased over the internet

·         Garden sundries - eg garden spade

·         Lawnmowers

 

 

Leisure Services

 

TV Licences and Rentals

·         Television licence fees

·         Rental of various types of TV

·         Digital television monthly subscription fees

·         Cable TV subscriptions

·         DVD rental internet subscription

 

Entertainment and Recreation

·         Squash court hire

·         Fees for leisure evening classes

·         Charges for exercise classes

·         Private health club / gym membership

·         Ten-pin bowling session

·         Horse racing admissions

·         Golf green fees

·         Livery charges

·         Admission to cinemas, theatres, live music, football matches, historic monuments, swimming pools, leisure centres, and leisure parks and other attractions

 

Foreign Holidays

·         Package holidays covering a range of foreign destinations, accommodation and holiday types, including late-booked holidays

·         Holiday insurance

 

UK Holidays

·        Package holidays covering a range of UK destinations, accommodation and holiday types