Sunglasses dropped from inflation list

Sunglasses, vegetable oil and VHS video players have been replaced by satellite navigation boxes, olive oil, and broccoli in the nation's 'typical' shopping basket used by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to measure inflation.

The ONS updates its list of goods and services annually to keep it up-to-date with consumer spending patterns. Its 650-item shopping basket is used to compile two monthly inflation indicators: the Consumer Price Index and the Retail Prices Index.

The changes announced earlier this week suggest that Britons are becoming more health conscious and high-tech.

Surprisingly, sunglasses were taken out of this year's list, despite their burgeoning sales and celebrity endorsement in fashion magazines. According to the ONS, the contents of the basket must reflect current consumer buying trends and items can be dropped for a variety of reasons.