WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products held steady in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home decreased 0.3%.
Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, 9 posted month-over-month increases, 8 finished lower and 1 was unchanged.
The June index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 272.4% of the 1982-84 average, down 0.4% from a year ago. For all food at home, the June index was 238.3, down 0.1% from June 2016.
The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in June was 227.7, down 0.3% from May and down 2% from June 2016. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 236.9, down 1.2% from May and down 2.4% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 224.5, down 0.4% from the previous month and down 1.5% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 234.5, up 0.1% from May but down 2.5% from June 2016.
The price index for bakery products in June was 298, up 0.1% from May and up 0.4% from June 2016.
The June index for bread was 180.2, up 0.9% from May and up 0.9% from June 2016. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 326.6, up 0.7% from May and up 1% from June 2016. For bread other than white, the index was 348.9, up 1.1% from May and up 0.9% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in June was 175.1, down 0.6% from May but up 0.2% from June 2016. The June index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 282.6, down 0.2% from May but up 1.2% from June 2016. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 302.7, up 0.3% from May and up 2.8% from June 2016; and cookies, 266.9, down 1% from the previous month but up 0.1% from the previous year.
The C.P.I. for other bakery products in June was 266.2, up 0.1% from May but down 0.4% from June 2016. Under this heading, other price indexes in June included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 293.1, up 0.3% from May but down 0.6% from June 2016; crackers and cracker products, 309.1, up 1% from May but down 0.3% from June 2016; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 269, down 0.2% from May but up 0.3% from the previous year
