WASHINGTON — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products fell for the second straight month, easing 0.1% in July after falling 0.4% in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home also fell for the second straight month, easing 0.1% in July after falling 0.2% in June.
The index was lower for 11 of the 18 products tracked by Milling & Baking News.
The July index for cereals and bakery products before seasonal adjustment was 250.2% of the 1982-84 average, down 1.3% from a year ago. For all food at home, the July index was 215.3, up 0.7% from July 2009.
The C.P.I. for cereals and cereal products in July was 217.8, down 0.3% from June and down 3.1% from July 2009. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 225.3, up 1.1% from June but down 5.7% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 214.4, down 0.2% from the previous month and down 3.5% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 225.9, up 1.1% from June but down 1.4% from July 2009.
The price index for bakery products in July was 267.4, down 0.2% from June and down 0.4% from July 2009.
The July index for bread was 160, down 0.8% from June and down 2.4% from July 2009. Under this heading, the C.P.I. for white bread was 290.3, down 1% from June and down 3.8% from July 2009. For bread other than white, the index was 308, down 0.5% from June and down 0.6% from a year ago.
The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in July was 152.7, up 0.7% from June but down 0.4% from July 2009. The July index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 250, down 0.4% from June but up 0.3% from July 2009. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 256.2, down 0.3% from June but up 0.1% from July 2009; and cookies, 243.5, down 0.9% from the previous month but up 0.5% from the previous year.
The C.P.I. for other bakery products in July was 247.4, up 0.1% from June and up 0.8% from July 2009. Under this heading, other price indexes in July included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 251.1, up 0.3% from June but down 0.2% from July 2009; crackers and cracker products, 285.6, up 0.2% from June but down 0.5% from July 2009; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 260.4, up 0.4% from June and up 2.6% from the previous year.