Condoms, energy drinks, avocados: CSO gives snapshot of our changing shopping history 

And now, for the first time in eight years, the basket of goods comprising some 51,000 prices used by the Central Statistics Office to compile the rise in the cost of living in Ireland will be updated.

While the last Household Budget Survey in 2015/16 saw the likes of television streaming services and craft beer added, the planned update in 2021 was delayed due to covid-19.

“We are particularly conscious of the important social history aspect associated with the changes to the items in our basket of goods and services,” the CSO said.

“Consumer spending habits change regularly, and the basket of goods and services needs to reflect those changes. The types of items added to or removed from the national basket of goods and services over the years provides a unique snapshot of our changing shopping habits through the decades.” 

In advance of announcing its new basket of goods, it has provided details on just how much has changed in how it calculates inflation in Ireland over the last 50 years through the addition and removal of certain goods from the Consumer Price Index.

Only updated once or twice a decade, the earliest update from 1975 shows a number of items added such as vodka white, instant cameras, cassettes, disposable baby nappies and cigarette lighters. Removed in the same year was bovril and writing ink, the CSO said.

In the next edition, it featured some items that were later removed such as video players and Hi-Fi.

Deodorant, thankfully, still remains in the CPI having first been introduced in 1982. Other items introduced that year include baby milk compound, mushrooms, freezers, tumble dryers and powered lawnmowers. Items removed that year, however, to signal their decline as popular purchases included corsets, chewing tobacco and black and white TVs.

Fast food and frozen meals were first added to the CPI in 1989 alongside walkmans, CD players, microwaves and lego.

Printers and PCs became part of the index in 1996 alongside a host of other items such as kiwis, pears, woks, floor tiles, jewellery, alco-pops, tampons and condoms. In the same year, a litre of milk replaced a pint of milk on the CPI, while records and heavy overcoats were removed.

During Celtic Tiger times in 2001 and 2006, we saw the likes of games consoles, DVD players, widescreen TVs, MP3 players, chewing gum, coffee makers and digital cameras added.

Other technologies were then phased out in this decade, including walkmans, video players and public telephones. Furthermore, wellies were also removed from the CPI in 2001 as was men’s two-piece wool suits. In 2011, we saw turf and DVD rental also removed.

In the most recent update in 2016, the likes of craft beer, e-cigarettes and streaming services were all added. In that same edition, sherry, shoe polish and clock radios all faced the axe.