Gammon out, sliders in as inflation shopping basket gets an update

Virtual reality headsets, yoga mats and men's pool sliders have been added to the shopping basket used to calculate the cost of living in Britain, while local newspaper adverts and oven-ready gammon joints have been removed.

- Richard Partington

In a snapshot of an increasingly online, time-pressed nation, the Office for National Statistics said the annual review of its inflation basket had taken into account shifting fashion trends, as well as a growing consumer appetite for faster food and future technologies.

Sales of VR headsets, which allow users to immerse themselves in digital worlds, have grown rapidly in recent years, and the goggles are used for everything from gaming to virtual therapy sessions, to recreating the rave scene of the 1980s and 90s. Though still relatively niche within the multibillion-pound consumer electronics market, annual sales are expected to grow from about £350m last year to £520m by 2029.