The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.4 percent in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, the same increase as in February. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.5 percent before seasonal adjustment.
The food index increased 0.1 percent in March, while the food at home index was unchanged. Both indexes were unchanged in February. Three of the six major grocery store food group indexes decreased over the month while the remaining three had price advances. The cereals and bakery products index decreased 0.9 percent over the month, the largest 1-month seasonally adjusted decrease ever reported in the series. The food away from home index rose 0.3 percent in March, after rising 0.1 percent in February.
The food at home index rose 1.2 percent over the last 12 months, while the index for food away from home rose 4.2 percent over the last year, and the overall food index has increased 2.2 percent over the last year.