After finishing flat in November, the Consumer Price Index for food and beverages increased 0.2% in December, ending at 235.2, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor. The food index also moved up 0.2%, ending at 235.4 in December.
The index for meat, poultry, fish, and eggs was unchanged in December, but the five remaining major grocery story groups posted increases in the month, led by fruits and vegetables, which advanced 0.6%. It was the seventh increase for the fruit and vegetable index in the past nine months.
The indexes for cereals and bakery products, dairy and related products, and nonalcoholic beverages, which all rose in November, each increased 0.2% in December.
The index for other food at home increased 0.1% in December, which followed a gain of 0.4% in November. Meanwhile, the index for food away from home rose 0.1% in December, the same increase as in October and November.
The overall Consumer Price Index, which fell 0.3% in November, was flat in December. Over the past 12 months the index has increased 1.7%.
