WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products rose 0.2% in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home was flat.
Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, a sister publication of World Grain, 11 posted month-over-month increases, 5 finished lower and 2 were unchanged.
The July index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 277.5% of the 1982-84 average, up 1.5% from a year ago. For all food at home, the July index was 241.4, up 0.7% from July 2018.
The CPI for cereals and cereal products in July was 230.4, up 0.2% from June and up 1.1% from July 2018. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 241.1, up 1.1% from June but down 0.4% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 224, unchanged from the previous month but up 1.9% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 240.7, up 0.1% from June and up 0.6% from July 2018.
The price index for bakery products in July was 304.5, up 0.3% from June and up 1.7% from July 2018.
The July index for bread was 183.5, up 0.7% from June and up 2.2% from July 2018. Under this heading, the CPI for white bread was 329.4, down 0.2% from June but up 1.7% from July 2018. For bread other than white, the index was 360.2, up 1.4% from June and up 2.9% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in July was 177.3, down 0.1% from June and unchanged from July 2018. The July index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 292.7, up 0.5% from June and up 2.2% from July 2018. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 319.2, up 0.1% from June and up 3.1% from July 2018; and cookies, 272.8, up 0.9% from the previous month and up 1.8% from the previous year.
The CPI for other bakery products in July was 270.8, down 0.1% from June but up 1.7% from July 2018. Under this heading, other price indexes in July included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 310.1, down 0.1% from June but up 2.4% from July 2018; crackers and cracker products, 309.5, unchanged from June but up 1.7% from July 2018; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 268.8, down 0.5% from June but up 0.1% from the previous year.