The following graph shows the yearly consumption of three different varieties of spreads, namely margarine, low fat & reduced spreads and butter, from 1981 to 2007, measured in grams consumed.
The quantity of margarine and butter consumed has demonstrated an overall downward trend over the years. Data for the consumption of low fat and butter is available only from 1996 to 2007, unlike the other two spreads.
In 1981, about 140 grams of butter was consumed and this figure, excluding a peak of 160 grams the following year, declined rapidly in the subsequent years before the fall in consumption slowed down by 1996. On the other hand, the rate of consumption of margarine rose from around 90 grams in 1981 to 100 g a decade later and remained stable for the following 5 years.
The consumption of margarine began to decline from 1996 onwards and this decline accelerated five years later, falling to a nadir of 40 grams in 2007, lower than even the consumption of butter during the same year. The consumption of low fat & reduced spread was measured from 1996 onwards and it enjoyed a rapid rise from nearly 10 g in that year to over 80 g in 2001 before it declined. At around 70 g consumed in 2007, it was the most widely consumed spread that year.