WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products fell 0.2% in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. But the index for all food at home rose 0.3%.
Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, 10 posted month-over-month gains, 7 finished lower and 1 was unchanged.
The February index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 270.6% of the 1982-84 average, up 0.5% from a year ago. For all food at home, the February index was 236.1, up 0.9% from February 2013.
The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in February was 231.6, down 0.9% from January and down 0.6% from February 2013. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 254.6, up 0.8% from January and unchanged from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 226.4, down 1.4% from the previous month and down 0.7% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 236.5, down 1% from January and down 1.1% from February 2013.
The price index for bakery products in February was 292.5, up 0.1% from January and up 1.1% from February 2013.
The February index for bread was 176.3, up 0.2% from January and unchanged from February 2013. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 322, down 0.1% from January but up 1.1% from February 2013. For bread other than white, the index was 339.6, up 0.5% from January but down 1.7% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in February was 173.9, up 1.6% from January and up 2.4% from February 2013. The February index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 272.6, unchanged from January but up 1.9% from February 2013. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 282.3, up 0.2% from January and up 1.5% from February 2013; and cookies, 265.3, up 0.1% from the previous month and up 2.9% from the previous year.
The C.P.I. for other bakery products in February was 264.3, down 0.5% from January but up 0.8% from February 2013. Under this heading, other price indexes in February included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 290, down 1.8% from January but up 1.1% from February 2013; crackers and cracker products, 307.3, up 0.4% from January and up 2.9% from February 2013; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 270.1, up 0.3% from January but down 0.5% from the previous year.