The line graph above gives information about three types of spreads – butter, margarine, and low fat/reduced-fat spreads – consumed between 1981 and 2007, measured in grams.
Overall, although butter was the most widely consumed spread at the beginning of the period it was eventually overtaken by low-fat and reduced-fat spreads. The consumption of margarine and butter fell considerably, whereas low-fat and reduced-fat spreads experienced rapid growth.
In contrast, butter was consumed widely about 142 grams in 1981,while this figure for margarine was at 90. The consumption of butter rose significantly reaching the peak of just below 160 grams in the next 5-year period, before falling to 50 grams in 2007 and this was followed by an enormous reduction.
In the first 5-years, margarine consumption declined moderately to 90 grams. Until 1996, it maintained the same level after facing a gradual growth to 100 grams. At the end of the period, this figure reduced considerably to 40 grams.
Even though low-fat and reduced-fat spreads were introduced in 1996 and at that time they were at approximately 10 grams, they showed a sharply upward trend to about 83 grams in 2001. Finally, in 2007 the figure for them was dominant at 70 grams following with a noticeable decrease.