The line graph illustrates the amount of butter and margarine consumed per person in the United States over a forty-year period between 1980 and 2020.
Overall, the graph can be divided into two distinct trends. Margarine intake experienced a dramatic and continuous decline, while butter consumption remained relatively steady for the first two decades before rising steadily and surpassing margarine.
In 1980, margarine was by far the most consumed product, which was 10 and a half pounds of average consumption per person. However, the figure declined consistently and dramatically over the next four decades, plummeting about 5 pounds in the year 2000. The downfall trend persisted, which caused the consumption of margarine to be mere 2 pounds by 2020.
By contrast, butter began at a much lower level, at just 4 and a half pounds consumed per person. Prior to the minor dip that happened in 1990, its consumption gradually increased over the following years and eventually surpassed margarine during this period.