Band 8+: 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 bar chart illustrates the percentage of weekly expenditure allocated to different categories by people in 1968 and 2018.

Overall, spending patterns have shifted significantly over the fifty-year period. In 2018, people spent more on leisure, transport, and housing compared to 1968, while expenditure on food saw a notable decrease.

In 1968, food was the largest expenditure category, accounting for 35% of weekly spending. By 2018, this figure had dropped dramatically to 17%. In contrast, spending on housing rose from 10% in 1968 to 22% in 2018. Similarly, expenditure on transport and leisure increased significantly, with transport rising from 8% to 14% and leisure from 9% to 22%.

The expenditure on household goods remained constant at 8% in both years. Conversely, there were slight decreases in spending on fuel and power, clothing and footwear, and personal goods, each dropping by a few percentage points.

In summary, while spending on essentials like food and clothing decreased, funds allocated to housing, transport, and leisure activities increased substantially.