VR headset and yoga mat added to basket of items used to track UK inflation

Pulled pork, virtual reality (VR) headsets and yoga mats have been added to a list of items used by the UK’s official statisticians to measure how quickly prices are rising across the country.

But it will no longer track the price of newspaper adverts and in-store cafe meals amid dwindling demand.

The Office for National Statistics has a so-called “basket” of more than 750 goods and services which represents the things consumers typically spend their money on.

It uses that to measure the rate of inflation, meaning how quickly prices are rising, for UK households.

The basket is updated every year when some items are removed and others are added to get a more accurate picture of the nation’s spending habits.

The changes are only a small percentage of all the items sampled.

For 2025, the ONS said it was adding items including a yoga mat following a boom in home workouts since the pandemic and the growing popularity of group exercise classes.

Men’s sliders have been introduced to reflect a fast-growing part of the male footwear market.

Stephen Burgess, the ONS’s deputy director for prices, said: “The addition of virtual reality headsets for the first time shows our appetite for emerging technology, while the loss of printed newspaper adverts demonstrates a continuing shift towards the online world.

“The desire for convenience amidst our busy lifestyles also plays a part in this year’s basket changes.

“Consumers are choosing easier options in the kitchen, so oven ready gammon joints make way for the quicker choice of pulled pork.”

Other additions to the basket include ready-to-use noodles, smoked salmon, and mango fruit.

While the ONS said it was removing the in-store cafe meal, such as in department stores, as its prevalence has dropped with many store closures.