UK CPIH basket weight: alcohol and tobacco
UK CPIH basket weight: alcohol and tobacco stood at 29.36 parts per 1000 in 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Consumer price index weights table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1988 to 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer price index weights table
| Indicator | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPIH basket, all items | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| CPIH weight by division | |||||||||||
| Alcoholic beverages and tobacco | 29.36 | 30.91 | 31.6 | 35 | 39 | 35 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 34 |
Understanding UK CPIH basket weight: alcohol and tobacco
This specification isolates the proportional weight assigned to alcoholic drinks and tobacco products within the expanded housing-inclusive price index framework for the United Kingdom. It covers the combined retail expenditure on spirits, wines, beers, and smoking articles, leaving out licensed venue hospitality and illicit market transactions. Because this basket includes owner-occupiers' housing costs and council tax, the proportional share allocated to alcohol and tobacco is systematically adjusted downward compared to sibling indices that omit housing, reflecting the dilution caused by incorporating large property-related expenditures.
Reading this series requires noting how annual basket rebasing interacts with duty changes and shifts in total household expenditure across the United Kingdom. Revisions to early estimates stem from updated retail sales data and corrected household survey returns. Analysts comparing this row with standard consumer price index weights must account for the scaling effect of housing inclusions, which alters relative proportions without necessarily reflecting changes in underlying alcohol or tobacco consumption volumes. Year-on-year comparisons provide the most reliable view of how excise policy shifts influence this specific category's presence in the broader inflation measure.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is this weight different from the standard consumer price index equivalent?
- The inclusion of housing costs in this broader index scales down the proportional share of all other categories, including alcohol and tobacco.
- Are pub and restaurant drink sales captured in this row?
- No, alcoholic drinks consumed in hospitality venues are classified separately under catering services.
- How do tobacco duty announcements affect these figures?
- Changes in excise taxation alter relative retail prices, which feeds into the annual recalculation of expenditure weights.