The chart illustrates the proportion of household spending on essential goods in China for the years 1995 and 2011.
Overall, it is evident that there was a significant decrease in the percentage of income spent on food, clothing, and housing between 1995 and 2011. Conversely, expenditure on education, health, and other essentials saw an increase during the same period.
In detail, food accounted for the largest share of household expenses in 1995, making up around 59% of total spending. However, by 2011, this figure had dropped sharply to approximately 35%. Spending on clothing also declined from about 13% to just below 9%, while housing expenditure decreased slightly from around 12% to 10%.
On the other hand, education and health-related expenses grew considerably over the years. Education spending rose from nearly 3% in 1995 to 10% in 2011. Health expenditure also increased, more than doubling from 3% to roughly 7%. Spending on other essentials showed a modest rise as well, from about 10% to 18%.
In summary, the data reflects a shift in household spending patterns in China, with less focus on basic necessities like food and clothing and more attention to education and health by 2011.