WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread rose 0.2c per lb in December and has now increased 8.8c over the past four months, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The price of whole wheat bread also increased, rising 2.1c per lb.

The national average retail price of white pan bread was 136.3c, up 0.2c per lb from November and up 7.3c from December 2018. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in December increased in two regions — up 1.1c in the South and up 0.3c in the West — and declined in two regions — down 0.6c in the Midwest and down 0.3c in the Northeast.

At 196.4c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was up 2.1c per lb from November and up 4c per lb from December 2018.

The national average price of family flour in December was 42.9c per lb, up 1.2c from November and up 0.8c from December 2018.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in December was 118.9c per lb, down 4.2c from November but up 2.8c from December 2018. Chocolate chip cookies were 358.4c per lb, down 1.9c from November but up 5.7c from December 2018. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 71.4c per lb, down 0.7c from November but up 0.2c from December 2018.