The chart provides data on the amount of butter and margarine consumed by the average person in the United States from 1980 to 2020.
Overall, the graph can be divided into two distinct trends. In general, margarine consumption showed a dramatic and steady decline in popularity throughout the decades, while butter saw a substantial, but stable growth.
In 1980, margarine reached its peak of consumption, with 10 and a half pounds per person. Prior to this, the figure declined sharply over the four next decades, plummeting about 5 pounds in 2000. The downfall trend persisted, with consumption reaching a mere 2 pounds per capita by 2020.
Conversely, consumption of butter started at 4.8 pounds per person in 1980. It experienced a slight increase between 2000 and 2010 with 5 pounds of growth, and finally, reaching 6 pounds by 2020. Overtaking margarine during this interval.
In summary, the period saw a pronounced shift from margarine to butter, reflecting a significant change in consumers’s preferences.