The bar chart compares the percentage of weekly income spent by families in a country across seven categories in 1968 and 2018.
Overall, in 1968, food accounted for the highest proportion of spending, whereas in 2018, leisure became the largest expenditure. In both years, the least amount was allocated to fuel and power. Notably, spending patterns shifted over time, with increases in housing and leisure, while expenditure on food and clothing declined.
In 1968, families allocated 35% of their weekly income to food, which dropped significantly to 17% in 2018. Conversely, spending on leisure rose from just under 10% to 22%. Housing costs also increased, reaching nearly 20% in 2018 compared to 10% in 1968. Meanwhile, transport expenditure rose slightly, whereas spending on clothing and footwear declined from 10% to 5%.
Both years saw the lowest spending on fuel and power, with figures just above 5% in 1968 and slightly below this in 2018. Expenditure on household goods remained relatively stable at approximately 7% in both years.