- Alcohol-free beer and houmous have been added to the 2026 Office for National Statistics (ONS) basket of goods used to track inflation
- Single sheets of wrapping paper have been ditched in favour of full rolls
- Pet grooming and dashboard cams also among the 27 items added to the mix as the ONS seeks to keep its inflation sums relevant
Danni Hewson, AJ Bell head of financial analysis, comments on changes to the latest ONS inflation basket:
“The inflationary spikes households have experienced over the past couple of years mean they will be acutely aware how important it is that the data accurately reflects our lives.
“The ONS updates its basket of goods every year to make sure the data used to set interest rates by the Bank of England isn’t outdated and giving a false reading of the cost of living. Consumer behaviour is constantly evolving, and this annual shuffle gives us an insight into our changing lived experience.
“Since the pandemic many of us have tried to embrace healthier lifestyles and the proliferation of no- and low-alcohol options helped people change their drinking habits, especially as competition pushed brewers to serve up more quaffable choices.
“Houmous has been a staple of lunch boxes for years but as a plant-based source of protein and fibre it’s becoming more and more popular. This trend has been exacerbated as take up of weight loss drugs continues to grow.
“Lots of households added pets to their number during lockdowns and the popularity of ‘Doodles’, or poodle-cross dogs with curly coats, has seen increased demand for pet grooming, which is the number one expense for animal owners after health checks.
“The constant evolution of tech is likely to keep the ONS on its toes over the coming years too, with 2026 being the year that dashcams have made an appearance to reflect the plethora of options now available to drivers looking to keep insurance costs down. Tech is also changing the way the basket is calculated, with the use of data scanned from supermarket tills able to give a more accurate reflection of the cost of our weekly shop.
“With many households bracing themselves for inflation to edge back up as the Iran war continues to push up the price of oil, the impact of rising costs will remain at the forefront of many people’s minds as they strive to budget for the life they want to live.”
