The bar chart illustrates changes in the percentage of weekly income spent by families across eight categories between 1968 and 2018. Overall, it is evident that spending habits shifted dramatically, with essential items like food becoming less dominant, while leisure and housing costs rose substantially.
In 1968, food was the largest expenditure, accounting for 35% of weekly income, but this figure more than halved to 17% by 2018. Similarly, spending on fuel and power dropped from 6% to 4%, while clothing and footwear expenditure fell from 10% to 5%. Personal goods also saw a decrease, halving from 8% to 4% over the same period. Household goods remained stable, maintaining a consistent 8% share of income in both years.
Conversely, housing costs nearly doubled, rising from 10% in 1968 to 19% in 2018. Leisure activities experienced the most significant growth, more than doubling from 9% to 22%, making it the primary expense for families by 2018. Additionally, transport costs increased from 8% to 14%. These trends highlight a clear transition in family budgets towards lifestyle-related expenses and housing over the half-century.