The line graph depicts the consumption of three types of spreads—butter, margarine, and low-fat and reduced spreads—measured in grams, over a 27-year period from 1981 to 2007.
Overall, the consumption of butter and margarine experienced a significant decline throughout the period, while the consumption of low-fat and reduced spreads showed a marked increase. At the start of the period, butter was the most consumed spread, but by the end of the period, low-fat and reduced spreads had become the most popular.
In detail, butter consumption was the highest in 1981, starting at 140 grams. It rose slightly to a peak of 160 grams in 1986, after which it declined sharply to around 50 grams by 2007. Margarine consumption began at approximately 90 grams and initially increased, reaching around 100 grams in 1986. However, from that point onward, it followed a downward trend, dropping steadily to about 40 grams by the end of the period.
Conversely, the consumption of low-fat and reduced spreads was not recorded until 1996, when it started at about 10 grams. From 1996 onwards, it experienced a substantial rise, increasing steadily and then accelerating from 2001 to reach a peak of 70 grams by 2007. By the end of the period, low-fat and reduced spreads had overtaken both butter and margarine to become the most consumed spread.