Local food prices down, energy up

Philadelphia-area prices for food eaten at home fell 2.0 percent in May, more than reversing a big rise in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today.

The price drop last month came from cereals, fresh vegetables and eggs, and it offset price hikes for processed fish and seafood, canned fruits and vegetables and uncooked beef steaks.

In April, the bureau's food at home category rose 1.1 percent in the Philadelphia area.

Local energy prices increased 3.0 percent last month, dominated by an 8.1 percent increase in the cost of gasoline at the pump, BLS said. Gasoline prices have been increasing in recent months nationally - to an average of $2.68 a gallon today, AAA Mid-Atlantic said. That's 37 cents more than a month ago.

The local area consists of Philadelphia and its four suburban counties in Pennsylvania, South Jersey from Burlington County to the Shore, New Castle County in Delaware and Cecil County in Maryland.    - Inquirer Staff