Band 7+: The chart below gives information about how families in one country spent their weekly income in 1968 and in 2018. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The horizontal bar chart illustrates how families of one nation spent their weekly salary in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, a considerably high amount was spent on food in 1968, which dramatically reduced in 2018. In contrast, other categories like leisure, transport and housing saw a noticeable increase in 2018 when compared to the earlier period.

In 1968, around 35% of the weekly income was dedicated to buying food, which made up the largest expense of that time. This value steeply declined to just around 18% in 2018, the most drastic change between the years. Additionally, personal goods, clothing and footwear also saw a similar downward trend, both of which halved in 2018. Spending of other things, like fuel and household goods, remained about the same in both years.

In contrast, leisure spending soared in 2018, going from just 9% to a staggering 22% estimate, making it the most expensive category of the year. Moreover, housing expenses almost doubled from 10% to approximately 19%, taking second place in weekly spending. Transport expenses also hiked from 8% to around 14%.