Band 8+: The graph below shows relative price changes for fresh fruits and vegetables, sugars and sweets, and carbonated drinks between 1978 and 2009. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The line graph shows the price changes of three different food categories compared to the consumer price index between 1979 and 2009.

Overall, the prices of all items increased over the 30-year period. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables grew the fastest and rose well above the consumer price index. In contrast, the two unhealthy products – sugar and sweets, and carbonated drinks – increased at a slower rate than the index.

In 1979, all four figures were very close, starting between 60 and 70. After that, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables rose sharply. It surpassed the consumer price index in 1985 and continued to go up, reaching a peak of about 335 in 2008, before dropping slightly at the end of the period.

On the other hand, the consumer price index grew steadily to finish at just over 200 in 2009. The price of sugar and sweets followed a similar trend but stayed slightly lower, ending at around 200. Carbonated drinks showed the slowest growth of all, rising gradually to finish at approximately 150 by 2009.