A basket of goods, or Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket, is a basket of consumer goods and services that is used to track changes in prices of consumer items over a certain period of time. It serves as a common measure for evaluating changes in the cost of living in each local region in the U.S., and also provides an overall index of general economic movement. It is formulated and correlated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, which tracks prices monthly and covers more than 200 categories of goods and services.

The U.S. CPI basket includes an average of 94,000 prices to assess inflation, with a weighted average of 33.3% allocated to shelter costs. Shelter costs are derived mostly from rents and owners’ equivalent rent and form a significant component of many households’ expenses. Consequently, any increases in their costs will affect the cost of living for a large portion of consumers. Consumer substitution of items with alternatives, and product improvements are also taken into account when calculating the CPI, as these factors have an influence on the cost of living.

The BLS publishes a set of regional Consumer Price Indexes (CPI-U), outlining the cost of living for different areas of the country. It provides a basis for wage negotiations, adjusts social security payments and annuities, and is used to adjust numerous pay streams, such as health care benefits. The CPI is used by the Federal Reserve to make policy decisions like when to raise or lower interest rates.

The CPI basket’s importance lies in how well it reflects the spending patterns and lifestyles of people in the U.S. The benchmark basket of goods and services should accurately cover a variety of consumer spends, ensuring that changes in the prices of goods reflect the cost of living faced by consumers across the country. It is a practical and effective tool for measuring the cost of living index and monitoring inflation.