Twilight books and iPads added to inflation markers in UK

Tablet computers and teenage fiction have replaced the step ladder, the casserole dish and camera film development, as indicators of inflation in the UK.

As a sign of changing technology and consumer habits, the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) anounced Tuesday morning changes in the basket of goods and services used to calculate inflation.

“Tablets have been added as they represent a significant and growing market. Fiction was previously covered by children’s and adult books, but with the growing popularity of many titles aimed specifically at teenagers, this new item has been added to the basket,” the ONS said, according to Reuters.

According to the Sun Herald, novels used to be covered by adult books. Yet, the growing popularity of Twilight and the Hunger Games series, cued the ONS to create a teenage fiction category. 

Read more on GlobalPost: British inflation hits three year high

Other new additions to the consumer price index include communication packages that including internet, telephone and television; stout beer like Guiness and pineapples.

Reflecting a more gourmet oriented British public, soft French cheese was also added. Yet, fish in batter remained.

According to the Guardian, some items replaced similar items that were excluded this year. 

For instance a bag of foam sweets has replaced a bag of boiled or jellied sweets.

To see what was added and taken out of the consumer price "shopping basket" go here.