(NAFB) – The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased 0.5 percent in December on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.8 percent in November.

The all-items index increased 7.0 percent before seasonal adjustment, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. The food index increased 0.5 percent in December, following larger increases in each of the three previous months.

Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased in December. The index for fruits and vegetables increased the most, rising 0.9 percent over the month as the index for fresh fruits increased 1.8 percent. The index for nonalcoholic beverages rose 0.8 percent in December, and the index for dairy increased 0.7 percent.

The index for other food at home rose 0.6 percent, and the index for cereals and bakery products increased 0.4 percent. The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs declined in December, falling 0.4 percent after rising at least 0.7 percent in each of the last seven months.