The bar graph illustrates the distribution of average weekly expenditures by families in a particular country in the years 1968 and 2018.
Overall, it is evident that housing was the predominant spending category in both 1968 and 2018. However, there were significant changes in the proportions of expenditure on housing, leisure, and food and power over the five-decade period.
In 1968, housing accounted for approximately 23% of the weekly income, making it the single largest expense for families. This was closely followed by food and power, which constituted around 22% of the budget. Spending on clothing and footwear, household goods, personal goods, and leisure stood at 12%, 8%, 6%, and 6% respectively. In contrast, the proportion of income allocated to housing increased substantially in 2018, reaching close to 35%. This suggests a notable shift in the budget allocation towards housing over the fifty-year period.
Moreover, the composition of leisure expenditure experienced a noteworthy alteration. While leisure accounted for a mere 6% of the budget in 1968, its share nearly doubled to approximately 10% in 2018. On the other hand, the proportion of spending on food and power showed a decline, dropping to 9% in 2018 from the previous 22% in 1968. Interestingly, there were marginal shifts in the allocations for personal goods, household goods, and clothing and footwear, with each exhibiting relatively minor fluctuations in their respective percentages between the two time periods.