In 1968, food accounted for the highest proportion of families’ weekly income at around 35%, but by 2018, this percentage had significantly dropped to about 15%. Conversely, housing costs increased from approximately 15% in 1968 to over 25% in 2018, indicating a substantial increase. Additionally, leisure expenditure doubled during the fifty-year period, reaching approximately 22% in 2018.
In 1968, transport expenses also experienced a significant increase, rising from around 10% to more than 30% in 2018, indicating a notable rise in transportation costs. On the other hand, expenditure on household goods remained relatively stable at around 7% in both 1968 and 2018.
In 1968, none of the expenditure categories, except for food, exceeded 10% of the weekly income. In contrast, clothing and footwear, fuel and power, and personal goods all witnessed a decrease, each exceeding 5% of the weekly income in 2018.
Overall, the data illustrates a significant transformation in expenditure patterns over the fifty-year period, with notable shifts towards leisure, housing, and transportation expenses, while other expenditure categories remained relatively stable or decreased