cinnamon roll and cereal
 
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The Consumer Price Index for baked foods and cereal products fell 0.2% in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. The index for all food at home increased 0.4%.

Of the 18 items followed by Milling & Baking News, sister publication of World Grain, 10 posted month-over-month decreases and 8 finished higher.

The April index for Cereals and Bakery Products before seasonal adjustment was 271.8% of the 1982-84 average, down 0.1% from a year ago. For all food at home, the April index was 240.1 up 0.5% from April 2017.

The CPI for cereals and cereal products in April was 227.2 up 0.5% from March but down 0.3% from April 2017. The index for products within this category included: flour and prepared mixes, 240.7, up 0.8% from March and up 2.4% from the previous year; breakfast cereal, 220.8, up 0.3% from the previous month but down 2% from a year ago; and rice, pasta and corn meal, 236.6, up 0.6% from March and up 0.9% from April 2017.

The price index for bakery products in April was 297.3, down 0.6% from March but up 0.1% from April 2017.

The April index for bread was 177.4, down 1.4% from March and down 0.7% from April 2017. Under this heading, the CPI for white bread was 319.6, down 1.7% from March and down 1% from April 2017. For bread other than white, the index was 344.8, down 0.8% from March and down 0.6% from a year ago.

The price index for fresh biscuits, rolls and muffins in April was 177, down 0.9% from March but up 0.7% from April 2017. The April index for cakes, cupcakes and cookies was 285.1, down 0.9% from March but up 0.6% from April 2017. Under this segment, other price indexes included fresh cakes and cupcakes, 309.7, up 0.5% from March and up 2.6% from April 2017; and cookies, 265.4, down 1.9% from the previous month and down 1.5% from the previous year.

The CPI for other bakery products in April was 264.5, up 0.5% from March but unchanged from April 2017. Under this heading, other price indexes in April included: fresh sweet rolls, coffee cakes and donuts, 298.5, down 0.1% from March but up 3.3% from April 2017; crackers and cracker products, 300, down 0.1% from March and down 1.4% from April 2017; and frozen and refrigerated bakery products, pies, tarts and turnovers, 269.8, up 1.8% from March and up 0.4% from the previous year.