The bar chart compares the amount of money spent per person per week on three types of fast food in Britain across different income groups, while the line graph illustrates changes in the consumption of these foods between 1970 and 1990.
Overall, people with higher incomes spent significantly more on fast food than those with lower incomes, particularly on hamburgers. Over time, consumption of hamburgers and pizza increased substantially, whereas fish and chips declined in popularity before experiencing a slight recovery toward the end of the period.
In terms of weekly expenditure, high-income earners spent the most on hamburgers, at just over 40 pence per person, compared to around 20 pence on pizza and approximately 17 pence on fish and chips. Among those with average incomes, hamburgers were again the most popular choice, accounting for about 33 pence, followed by fish and chips at roughly 25 pence, while pizza attracted only around 12 pence. By contrast, low-income individuals spent the least overall, with fish and chips being their main purchase (around 18 pence), ahead of hamburgers (about 14 pence) and pizza (approximately 7 pence).
Regarding consumption trends, fish and chips were the most widely eaten fast food in 1970, at about 300 grams per person. However, intake declined steadily to just over 200 grams by the mid-1980s before rising slightly to around 230 grams in 1990. In contrast, hamburger consumption increased dramatically throughout the period, surging from roughly 80 grams in 1970 to more than 500 grams by 1990, making it the most consumed item. Pizza also saw consistent growth, rising from about 20 grams at the beginning of the period to nearly 280 grams by 1990, indicating a clear shift in British eating habits toward these foods.