WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread increased while the price for whole wheat bread decreased in December, 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 143.6c, up 1.8c per lb from November and up 1.6c from December 2011. The increase followed a decrease of 0.4c per lb in November. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in December rose in one region — up 13.4c in the Northeast — and fell in three regions — up 10c in the West, up 2c in the South and up 1.1c in the Midwest — and fell in one region — down 5c in the Northeast.
At 192.5c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was down 6.6c per lb from November and down 14.8c per lb from December 2011.
The national average price of family flour in December was 50c per lb, up 0.3c from November but down 1c from December 2011. The gain ended three consecutive months of lower prices.
The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in December was 131.2c per lb, down 1.4c from November but up 0.6c from December 2011. Chocolate chip cookies were 361.7c per lb, down 13.8c from November and down 6.5c from December 2011. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 71.4c per lb, up 1c from November but down 1.5c from December 2011.