Indonesia Adds Vapes to Inflation Basket

Indonesia is adding e-cigarettes and vape liquids to its inflation basket, a collection of goods and services used to calculate the Consumer Price Index rate, reports Bloomberg.

The change will update the composition of Indonesia’s consumer basket to reflect changes in technology, income and people’s consumption patterns, especially after the pandemic, according to the country’s statistics office.

Other new inclusions include face masks, hand sanitizers, TV receivers and fares for Jakarta’s recently-launched Mass Rapid Transit line. Online shopping for men’s and women’s shoes, Muslim clothing, mobile phones and perfume will also be tracked in five major cities, including Jakarta, Bogor and Surabaya.

Items like TV antennas, DVDs and print magazines have been dropped from the basket.

Indonesia is one of the world’s largest tobacco markets. Vapes have gained popularity in recent years, especially in urban areas.