WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread increased 11.3¢ per lb in September, by far its sharpest month-over-month increase in years, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor. In data going back 20 years, the previous sharpest month-over-month increase took place in May 2005, when the average price jumped 8.2¢ per lb from April 2005. The price of whole wheat bread, meanwhile, increased 2.6¢ per lb.

The national average retail price of white pan bread was 158.0¢, up 11.3¢ per lb from August and up 8.8¢ from September 2020.

At 210.2¢ per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was up 2.6¢ per lb from August and up 2.1¢ per lb from September 2020.

The national average price of family flour in September was 38.2¢, up 1.1¢ from August but down 6.9¢ from a year ago.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in September was 107.7¢ per lb, down 1.2¢ from August and down 17.9¢ from September 2020. Chocolate chip cookies were 398.1¢ per lb, down 0.8¢ per lb from August but up 32.2¢ from September 2020.

The national average price of white long-grain rice in September was 79.8¢, up 1.4¢ from August and up 2.1¢ from September 2020.