Vapes, gin and air fryers among items added to 'national basket' to calculate inflationMuireann DuffyLandline telephones, digital cameras and Swiss rolls are no longer commonly purchased items among Irish households, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has decided, removing them from the 'national basket' used to calculate inflation. The increase in the prices of those goods and services is how inflation is measured, and shows how consumers' purchasing power decreases due to inflation. As part of the latest update to the national basket, landline telephones, digital cameras, Swiss rolls, and nightclub admissions were some of the items removed, marking them as purchases of days gone by. In their place, disposable e-cigarettes, smart watches, gin, air fryers, and milk and meat substitutes were added. The CSO said there are now 612 goods and services monitored to calculate the State's CPI.

Source: Irish Independent February 15, 2024 23:43 UTC