WASHINGTON, DC, US — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products increased 0.9% in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor. The index for all food at home rose 1.1% for the second consecutive month.

Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, a sister publication of World Grain, 13 posted month-over-month gains and 5 were lower.

The October index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 294.6% of the 1982-84 average, up 3.5% from a year ago. For all food at home, the October index was 265.5, up 5.4% from October 2020.

The CPI for cereals and cereal products in October was 239.4, up 1.3% from September and up 3.1% from October 2020. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 250, down 0.1% from September but up 5% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 236.6, up 3.3% from the previous month and up 4.3% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 245.1, down 0.3% from September but up 1% from October 2020.

The price index for bakery products in October was 326.6, up 0.7% from September and up 3.6% from October 2020.

The October index for bread was 198.1, up 0.8% from September and up 2.3% from October 2020. Under this heading, the CPI for white bread was 357.5, up 0.6% from September and up 1.3% from October 2020. For bread other than white, the index was 387.7, up 1.1% from September and up 3.2% from a year ago.

The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in October was 195.2, up 0.2% from September and up 4.8% from October 2020. The October index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 305.1, down 0.1% from September but up 2.7% from October 2020. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 330, up 0.7% from September and up 6.6% from October 2020; and cookies, 282.3, down 0.6% from the previous month and down 0.2% from the previous year.