Smart phones make inflation list

London: Online dating agencies and smart phones are in, pork shoulder and regional newspapers are out, according to Britain’s statistics office.

In its annual re-jig of the “shopping basket” used to calculate inflation, the statistics office tries to reflect Britons’ changing tastes as well as the growing impact of new technology.

Smart phones as well as the downloadable applications that run on them have been added, and will replace mobile phone ringtones and other downloads. Large flat-screen TVs also feature separately for the first time, reflecting the growing popularity of home cinema systems.

“ Powerful smart phones and the applications that run on them have become essential for many when communicating or seeking information,” said Phil Gooding, a statistician at Britain’s Office for National Statistics.