The Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA)’s objective in hosting the Open Forum Series was to provide a platform for groups of professionals to enter into a discussion on the research and to create a medium for knowledge dissemination. The 33rd Open Forum (2008) hosted by CEPA focused on a much discussed current issue which is the updated Consumer Price Index, the need for a new index and the potential impacts of switching to this new index. This publication is a summary of the discussions that took place at the Forum.