And finally…Baileys noticable

The drink was hugely popular when it was first introduced in 1974, and while remaining a staple of UK drinks cabinets ever since, it seems it is now very much in vogue, thanks largely to its being used as an ingredient in a wide variety of cocktails and hot drinks.

The liqueur – a mixture of cream, vanilla, chocolate and whiskey – is among a wide range of products added by the Office for National Statistics this year to reflect our changing shopping habits.

Other new items are coffee machine pods, large chocolate bars, lemons, high-protein meat-based snacks, microwave rice pouches and computer game downloads.

The new inclusions take the place of entrance fees for nightclubs, reflecting the falling number of dancing spots, CD-Roms, the discs once used to add software to home PCs, which are ditched in favour of updates by internet download.

Women’s leggings are also being added as the garment is seen as ‘activewear’ that crosses the boundary between fashion and sports attire. Nail varnish is included, too, to reflect the rising spending on women’s beauty products.

David McCorquodale of accountants KPMG said: “Advances in technology, the latest fads and trends, and the weather all seem to have affected purchasing decisions.”