Bread prices were slashed on Thursday, following the downward trend in global flour and liquefied petroleum gas prices.

Community bakers implemented a P0.50-price cut for every ten pieces of pan de sal (salt bread), while P1 is slashed from tasty breads. Other bakers chose to make bigger breads to compensate for the price drop, adding three grams in their pan de sal.

Big bakers are expected to cut their prices by March 17. More rollbacks are said to be in the offing due to softening flour and LPG prices, with the former seen at its lowest level since June 2008.

Earlier, the Philippine Federation of Bakers President Lucito Chavez said some bakers want to set a schedule for the sale of hot pan de sal to minimize cost on reheating the bread for customers.

Chavez added that big bakery groups in the country will start selling pan de sal in different standardized sizes--from budget to jumbo--in response to consumer complaints that the different sizes prevent people from comparing prices.

Consumption of pan de sal has been declining as Filipinos prefer buying noodles, a cheaper product also derived from flour.

According to Chavez, around 10,000 to 12,000 bakery operators nationwide might be affected by the slowdown in bread consumption. With a report from Zen Hernandez, ABS-CBN News