Prices of Bread are Rising Faster Than Inflation, Causing Sticker Shock of $10 Per Loaf

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the price of white bread per pound reached $1.69, which is the highest level recorded.

Some customers have already abandoned their shopping carts with bread because of rising pricing. According to Bloomberg, which cited data from NielsenIQ, unit purchases of bread products were down 2.7 percent this year through July 2.

La Boulangerie & Co., a chain of bakeries based in Chicago, informed Bloomberg that it had to increase prices by 10% to cover additional costs, making a loaf of brioche cost $11.50.

“It’s tough because how high can you pay for a loaf of bread?” said the chain’s owner Vincent Colombet. “Can you pay $20 for a loaf of bread? No. We are really squished between the hammer and the anvil.”

Grocery prices rose 12.2 % overall in June, contributing significantly to the month’s 9.1 % inflation rate, which was the highest since 1981.