Mens' suit yields place to sports bra, crop top in UK inflation basket

21 Mar '22

2 min read

Pic: Shutterstock

The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently announced the annual changes to the inflation basket of goods. This ‘virtual basket’ contains over 700 carefully selected items representative of the goods and services that consumers typically spend their money on. The mens’ suit has given way to sports bra and crop top in the inflation basket.

Some items are taken out of the basket, some are brought in, while others remain unchanged. The changes represent what is happening in society and for 2022, ONS can see that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer behaviour continues, it said in a press release.

The rise in homeworking has seen the demise of the mens’ suit from the consumer basket. A new men's formal jacket and blazer item has been introduced to ensure men’s formal and business wear is still represented in the basket.

The pandemic has helped increase consumer awareness of fitness, with many people working out at home during lockdown periods. With this has come a rise in expenditure on sports clothing, so the sports bra and crop top extends the sportswear items in the basket.

Demand for antibacterial products is still high, and the convenience and ease of use of the surface wipe sees it sweeping into the basket.

These annual changes are only a small percentage of the items sampled. This year ONS has added 19 items, removed 15 and left 715 unchanged.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)

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