WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread rose 2.4¢ per lb in February, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor. The price of whole wheat bread also increased, rising 2.5¢ per lb.

The national average retail price of white pan bread was 137.5¢, up 2.4¢ per lb from January and up 9.3¢ from February 2019. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in February increased in three regions — up 7.9¢ in the West, up 3.8¢ in the Midwest and up 0.4¢ in the South — and was down 0.2¢ in the Northeast.

At 198.6¢ per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was up 2.5¢ per lb from January and up 3.5¢ per lb from February 2019.

The national average price of family flour in February was 43.8¢ per lb, unchanged from January but down 0.5¢ from February 2019.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in February was 123.5¢ per lb, up 1¢ from January and up 2.9¢ from February 2019. Chocolate chip cookies were 355.1¢ per lb, up 2.6¢ from January and up 3.5¢ from February 2019. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 73.4¢ per lb, up 1.8¢ from January but down 2.8¢ from February 2019.