WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products increased 0.3% in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Meanwhile, the index for all food at home declined for the second straight month, falling 0.5%.
Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, 13 posted month-over-month gains, 4 finished lower and 1 was unchanged.
The March index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 273.8% of the 1982-84 average, up 1.1% from a year ago. For all food at home, the March index was 241.6, up 1.9% from March 2014.
The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in March was 234.3, up 0.5% from February and up 0.3% from March 2014. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 249.2, down 1.3% from February and down 2.1% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 228.9, up 0.6% from the previous month and up 0.4% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 242.2, up 1% from February and up 0.9% from March 2014.
The price index for bakery products in March was 296.1, up 0.2% from February and up 1.6% from March 2014.
The March index for bread was 178.3, up 0.4% from February and up 2% from March 2014. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 321.7, up 0.7% from February and up 1.6% from March 2014. For bread other than white, the index was 344.9, unchanged from February and up 1.4% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in March was 176.4, down 0.5% from February but up 2.1% from March 2014. The March index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 278.2, up 0.1% from February and up 1.8% from March 2014. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 288.7, up 0.2% from February and up 2.3% from March 2014; and cookies, 270, up 0.1% from the previous month and up 1.6% from the previous year.
The C.P.I. for other bakery products in March was 265.6, up 0.4% from February and up 0.7% from March 2014. Under this heading, other price indexes in March included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 293, up 2.7% from February and up 1.1% from March 2014; crackers and cracker products, 308.6, up 0.8% from February and up 2.7% from March 2014; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 267.3, down 1.1% from February and down 2.5% from the previous year.