Within food at home, only two of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in July. This compared with June when four of the six indexes increased.
Leading the way was the index for fruits and vegetables, which rose 1.5 percent, led by a 2.4 percent increase in the index for fresh vegetables. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs also increased, rising 0.2 percent in July.
The index for other food at home was unchanged. The indexes for the other three major grocery store food groups declined in July, led by the index for nonalcoholic beverages, which fell 0.6 percent, its third decline in the past five months. The cereals and bakery products index declined 0.3 percent, while the index for dairy and related products fell 0.1 percent in July.
Over the past 12 months, the food at home index has risen 1 percent. The index for fruits and vegetables has posted the largest increase over that time, rising 2.7 percent, the BLS said. Meanwhile, the index for nonalcoholic beverages has declined 1.2 percent over the past 12 months. The overall Consumer Price Index, which increased 0.5 percent in June, again moved higher, increasing 0.2 percent in July. Over the past 12 months, the index has increased 2 percent.
