WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread rose while the average price for whole wheat bread fell during February, 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 136.1c, up 0.1c per lb from January but down 4.3c from February 2009. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread rose in three regions — up 5c in the Northeast, up 1.7% in the South and up 1.4% in the West — and fell in one region — down 4.4% in the Midwest. By comparison, the average price fell in the same three regions during January while it rose in the Midwest.


At 174.1c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was down 1.8c per lb from January and down 22.9c per lb from February 2009.

The national average price of family flour in February was 49.6c per lb, up 0.5c from January but down 1.3c from February 2009.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in February was 116.3c per lb, up 1.6c from January and up 3c from February 2009. Chocolate chip cookies were 326.6c per lb, down 1.4c from January but up 23.1c from February 2009.