WASHINGTON — In November, the Consumer Price Index for food and beverages increased 0.1 percent, increasing to 230.9 from 230.8 in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the Department of Labor relayed. This increase followed gains of 0.1 percent in October, 0.4 percent in September and 0.5 percent in August.

Last month, the food index increased 0.1 percent after rising 0.1 percent in October.

Two of the six major grocery store food groups increased last month, led by a 0.3 percent gain in cereals and bakery products, which increased to 266.6 from 265.8 in October. The index for non-alcoholic beverages, which increased 0.2 percent to 169.2, also increased in November.

The index for fruits and vegetables experienced the sharpest decline, which followed a 1.7 percent decline in October by dropping 0.6 percent in November. Both the fresh fruits and fresh vegetables indexes continued to decline, BLS stated.

The index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs was 227.2 in November, down 0.1 percent from 227.4 in October. The index for dairy and related products fell 0.3 percent in November to 218.8. The index had advanced 0.1 percent in October and 1.2 percent in September.

Suffering its first decline since June 2010, the index for food at home dropped 0.1 percent,. Despite the decline, the index has increased 5.9 percent over the past year with the six major grocery store food groups up at least 4.4 percent.

In November, the food-away-from-home index increased 0.3 percent after rising 0.2 percent in October and has gone up 2.9 percent over the past year.

The overall Consumer Price Index was unchanged in November after falling 0.1 percent in October. The index now has increased 3.4 percent over the past 12 months.