The line graph illustrates the consumption of three types of spreads, margarine, low fat & reduced spreads and butter over the period from 1981 to 2007.
Overall, the graph shows a shift in consumer preference from butter and margarine to low fats & reduced spread in the early 2000s, followed by a general decline in all three spreads in 2007.
In 1981, butter consumption was approximately 140 grams, while margarine was around 90 grams: no data was available for low-fat spreads at that time.By 1985, butter rose to about 160 grams and margarine was fell to about 80 grams. Between 1985 and 1991, butter consumption dropped sharply to 100 grams, whereas margarine increased to same level until 1996.
Low fats & reduced spreads appeared in 1996 with consumption around about 10 grams, then surged to nearly 100 grams in 2001. Over the same period, butter continued to decline to roughly 60 grams in 2001 and further to 40 grams by 2007. Margarine also decreased steadily after 1996, reaching approximately to 40 grams in 2007.
