Latte helps the bean counters

If the rate of inflation causes you angst, you can now blame takeaway coffee for your worries. Caffe latte has been added to the basket of goods used by Government experts each month to check on price rises.

It is part of a major update, intended to reflect changes to our lifestyles, in which dozens of goods and services have been added and many oldfashioned ones thrown out.

Among other items to appear for the first time are designer spectacles, dental insurance and flat-pack furniture. They have replaced articles considered to be past their sell-by dates, such as vinyl floor covering, women's shoe repairs and launderette charges.

Changes to our eating habits mean that Pot Noodles are added but frozen fish in sauce and tinned spaghetti is off the menu.

Take-away burgers and kebabs also appear, to take into account the fact that we cook less and eat out more. While brown ale is out of the alcohol category, draught premium lager is added.

Increased spending on leisure and beauty is reflected in the addition of golf and gym fees, horse racing admission prices and air fares.

The Office for National Statistics, which reviews its basket of 650 items every year, said it would also take more account of the growing popularity of Internet shopping.

'Households appear to be changing their eating habits to cope with busy lives, changing tastes and leisure patterns,' said statistician Len Cook.