UK CPI basket weight: recreation and culture
UK CPI basket weight: recreation and culture stood at 152.15 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPI basket, all items | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| CPI weight by division | |||||||||||
| Recreation and culture | 152.15 | 148.74 | 142.62 | 138 | 134 | 146 | 168 | 155 | 150 | 148 |
Understanding UK CPI basket weight: recreation and culture
This parameter measures the share of consumer expenditure dedicated to leisure pursuits, media goods, horticultural supplies, package holidays, and sporting activities within the United Kingdom. It encompasses spending on audiovisual equipment, computer hardware, books, newspapers, pets, garden plants, and admission charges for cultural or sporting events, while excluding educational tuition fees and hospitality services provided by hotels. This division isolates discretionary leisure spending from routine household maintenance and basic grocery purchases, capturing how households allocate disposable income toward entertainment and personal hobbies.
Evaluating this measure requires recognising the strong seasonal concentration of holiday bookings and seasonal retail events, which can introduce volatility into annual index weightings. Adjustments to these figures follow routine household survey updates that capture emerging consumer preferences and new entertainment technologies across the United Kingdom. When analysing this series, researchers should distinguish between shifts driven by changing household participation in leisure activities and those caused by relative price changes in manufactured goods like electronics. Comparisons with sibling divisions require accounting for differing demand elasticity across discretionary product categories.
Frequently asked questions
- Are educational courses included in recreation and culture?
- No, formal education fees are classified under a separate division dedicated entirely to educational services.
- How do technological advancements influence this category's weight?
- Rapid adoption of new consumer electronics and digital media platforms alters household spending patterns, changing this division's share during annual basket reviews.
- Why do holiday package prices cause volatility here?
- Package holidays exhibit strong seasonal pricing spikes that influence the relative importance of this division during specific months of the year.