Sure but let's be clear we are talking semantics now. When prices go up on fuel and food that's call inflation and we both know it.
A consumer economy where consumption costs - prices on consumer goods - are rising? Sure sounds like inflation. On a larger scale it just seems like balancing consumption and prices around the world. Go globalization - all the way
They made the changes to the methods in order to get "better" numbers as a result. Note how low the once important Misery Index would be if added up now using government supplied numbers, vs what it would be if the calculation methods hadn't been changed (see shadowstats.com). In all honesty, I think the word "lie" is accurate and appropriate. They don't want the truth to be broadcast.
Inflation-protected bonds rely on the trustworthiness of whichever body calculates the inflation rate. If the government both issues the bonds, and decides the inflation rate, then that's what you might call a conflict of interest. Any CEO doing that would be sent to jail. But in the public sector, it's just business as usual.