The bar chart compares the percentage of weekly income spent by households in a European country on eight categories in the years 1990 and 2020.
Overall, the most significant change over the 30-year period was in the proportion of spending on rent and housing, which increased substantially, whereas the share spent on groceries fell sharply. In both years, entertainment and personal care accounted for the smallest portions of household budgets.
In 1990, groceries represented the largest expense, with households allocating approximately 35% of their weekly income to this category. However, by 2020, this figure had dropped to around 20%, making it the second-highest category. In contrast, spending on rent and housing rose dramatically from about 18% in 1990 to nearly 35% in 2020, becoming the dominant expenditure.
Expenditure on clothing and transportation declined modestly over the period, both falling by about 5%. Utilities remained relatively stable, with only a slight increase. Meanwhile, spending on entertainment and personal care experienced slight increases, though both categories still made up less than 10% of total weekly income in 2020.
In summary, there was a notable shift in household spending priorities over the period, with essential expenses like housing becoming more dominant, while food and clothing took a smaller share of the budget.