WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products finished flat in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home, meanwhile, was higher, rising 0.2% after climbing 0.1% in July.
Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, 10 posted month-over-month declines, 7 finished higher and 1 was unchanged.
The August index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 271.3% of the 1982-84 average, up 1.3% from a year ago. For all food at home, the August index was 234, up 1% from August 2012.
The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in August was 233.1, down 0.7% from July and down 0.2% from August 2012. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 257.2, down 0.4% from July but up 0.2% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 227.6, down 0.9% from the previous month and down 0.4% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 239.5, down 0.4% from July but up 0.1% from August 2012.
The price index for bakery products in August was 292.7, up 0.4% from July and up 2.2% from August 2012.
The August index for bread was 177.1, down 0.2% from July but up 2.7% from August 2012. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 320.9, down 0.7% from July but up 1.5% from August 2012. For bread other than white, the index was 344.3, up 0.8% from July and up 4.3% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in August was 172.3, up 0.5% from July and up 3.1% from August 2012. The August index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 269.2, down 0.7% from July but up 1.7% from August 2012. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 282.1, down 0.3% from July but up 2.4% from August 2012; and cookies, 258.7, down 1.1% from the previous month but up 1.6% from the previous year.
The C.P.I. for other bakery products in August was 267.4, up 1.9% from July and up 1.7% from August 2012. Under this heading, other price indexes in August included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 291.8, down 0.1% from July but up 4.2% from August 2012; crackers and cracker products, 308.8, up 4.1% from July and up 0.5% from August 2012; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 271.7, up 0.3% from July and up 0.9% from the previous year.