Band 9: The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different countries in 2002. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The table presents data regarding consumer expenditure across three distinct categories—food/drink/tobacco, clothing/footwear, and leisure/education—in five countries during the year 2002.

It is evident that the predominant focus of consumer spending across all nations was directed towards essential goods, particularly food and drink, while expenditure on leisure and education remained significantly lower. Notably, Turkey emerged as the highest spender in terms of food/drink/tobacco, whereas Italy led in clothing/footwear, and Turkey also recorded the apex in leisure/education.

In 2002, Turkey exhibited the highest allocation of consumer spending towards food/drink/tobacco, constituting approximately 32.14% of total expenditure. Ireland followed closely with a substantial 28.91%. Conversely, Italy and Spain dedicated around 25% of their spending to this category, while Sweden recorded a notably lower percentage, approximately 15.8%. Regarding clothing/footwear, Italy was again the frontrunner, with a notable expenditure of 9.00%, leaving Sweden at the lowest end of the spectrum with merely 5.40%. The remaining countries, including Turkey, Spain, and Ireland, maintained a moderate spending level in this category, varying between 6% and 7%.

When examining leisure/education expenditures, Turkey again held the highest percentage at approximately 4.35%. In contrast, Spain allocated the least resources to this category, with a mere 1.98%. Ireland, Italy, and Sweden demonstrated similar spending patterns in leisure and education, with their expenditures ranging from 3% to 3.5%. This comparison underscores a consistent trend across all nations, whereby essential commodities commanded the majority of consumer budgets, whilst discretionary spending on leisure pursuits remained minimal.