WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread increased in September, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. It is only the third month-over-month increase for the category so far in 2013. The average price of whole wheat bread, meanwhile, fell, its fourth consecutive month of lower prices.

The national average retail price of white pan bread was 141.9c, up 1.1c per lb from August. The increase follows a drop of 2.6c in August. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in September rose in two regions — up 4.9c in the South and up 4.1c in the Midwest — and fell in two regions — down 3.8c in the Northeast and down 2.9c in the West.

At 201.1c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was down 2.5c per lb from August but up 2.9c per lb from September 2012. It was the category’s lowest retail price since December 2012.

The national average price of family flour in September was 52.2c per lb, down 0.7c from August and down 0.6c from September 2012.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in September was 130c per lb, up 0.4c from August but down 1.9c from September 2012. Chocolate chip cookies were 359.9c per lb, up 14.8c from August and up 25.3c from September 2012. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 74.1c per lb, up 0.4c from August and up 5.7c from September 2012.