WASHINGTON — The average price paid for white pan bread decreased in August while the price for whole wheat bread increased, 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 140.1c, down 0.6c per lb from August and down 7.6c from August 2011. The decrease followed a decline of 2c per lb in August. On a month-to-month basis, the average price for white pan bread in August rose in one region — up 13.1c in the Northeast — and fell in three regions — down 8.6c in the West, down 3.6c in the South and down 2.5c in the Midwest.
At 198.2c per lb, the national average price for whole wheat bread was up 7.7c per lb from August but down 9.1c per lb from August 2011.

The national average price of family flour in August was 52.8c per lb, down 0.3c from August and down 2.2c from August 2011.

The national average price for spaghetti and macaroni in August was 131.9c per lb, down 4.2c from August but up 4.9c from August 2011. Chocolate chip cookies were 334.6c per lb, down 2.8c from August and down 0.3c from August 2011. The national average price of white long-grain rice was 68.4c per lb, up 0.1c from August but down 3.5c from August 2011.