Changes to CPI measure from March 2026

dealyboy

I received an e-mail from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning regarding changes to the way Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation will be measured from March 2026; it will incorporate supermarket scanning data.

https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/01/23/futureproofing-our-headline-inflation-statistics/

It is interesting to learn how the ONS is improving its methodology in the modern world.

Baldytyke88

dealyboy said:

I received an e-mail from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning regarding changes to the way Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation will be measured from March 2026; it will incorporate supermarket scanning data.

https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/01/23/futureproofing-our-headline-inflation-statistics/

It is interesting to learn how the ONS is improving its methodology in the modern world.

It would be better if news outlets used a measure of inflation that covered all aspects of spending, leaving out housing means that CPI is not a good measure of inflation.

dealyboy

Baldytyke88 said:

dealyboy said:

I received an e-mail from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning regarding changes to the way Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation will be measured from March 2026; it will incorporate supermarket scanning data.

https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2025/01/23/futureproofing-our-headline-inflation-statistics/

It is interesting to learn how the ONS is improving its methodology in the modern world.

It would be better if news outlets used a measure of inflation that covered all aspects of spending, leaving out housing means that CPI is not a good measure of inflation.

Of course there is a measure which includes housing ... CPIH, but it would appear that it's more used as an economic indicator informing policy.