The basket of goods used to measure changes in the prices of goods and services and to help calculate consumer price inflation includes e-cigarettes and speciality beers and ales for the first time.
The basket of more than 700 products also sees the inclusion of protein powder, sweet potato, liver – last included in 1999 – oven-ready joint, gammon/pork, melon and chilled pizza.
Removals this year include yoghurt drinks, frozen pizza, braising steak, an oven-ready joint, cut flowers and lilies.
The Office for National Statistics said chilled pizzas had made it into the basket because spending on them had risen above that of the frozen alternative.
It added that the change from an oven-ready joint to a gammon or pork oven-ready joint had been made because proposed international classification changes would require the joint to come from a specific animal.
Food, drink and tobacco account for 27% of the products included in this year’s basket, more than any other sector.
Prices for Chicken Kievs and dishwasher tablets, which are already included in the basket, will be collected from smaller, local retailers in future as well as the big supermarkets, reflecting their greater availability from a wider range of retailers.
The basket of foods was first used in 1947 when it was composed of just 150 goods and services. Bacon, milk, bread, tea and petrol were all included in the inaugural basket.
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