Japan is conducting a reshuffle of goods in its consumer price index basket that will ditch items on the kids' menu in exchange for hearing aids to reflect changes in consumer spending caused by its rapidly aging population.
The reshuffle, which takes place once every five years, removes items from the basket that consumers are spending less on and replaces them with items that shoppers are buying more often.
Wine glasses also make way for cheap take-away coffee sold at the nation's ubiquitous convenience stores in a sign that people prefer a pick-me-up to get them through a busy day over relaxing with a glass of red at the end of one.
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