WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The average price paid for white pan bread finished lower for the second straight month while whole wheat bread fell sharply lower in June, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The national average retail price of white pan bread was 140.3¢, down 0.9¢ per lb from May and down 8.7¢ from June 2011. The decrease followed a drop of 1.4¢ per lb in May. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in June rose in three regions — up 4.7c in the Northeast, up 4.3¢ in the Midwest and up 1c in the West — and fell in two regions — down 9.2c in the South.

At 193.5¢ per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was down 9.2¢ per lb from May and down 0.3¢ per lb from June 2011. It was the sharpest month-over-month decline since October 2005, and marked the first year-over-year decline since October 2010. At 193.5¢, it was the lowest average price for whole wheat bread since July 2011 when it was 185¢ per lb.

The national average price of family flour in June was 51.9¢ per lb, up 0.6¢ from May but down 0.9¢ from June 2011. It halted a three-month decline in the national average price of family flour.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in June was 133.2¢ per lb, down 1.2¢ from May but up 8.4c from June 2011. Chocolate chip cookies were 372.9¢ per lb, up 4¢ from May and up 41.2¢ from June 2011. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 68.1¢ per lb, up 0.4¢ from May but down 7.4¢ from June 2011.