The line graph illustrates the daily per-person consumption of butter, margarine, and low fat and reduced spreads between 1981 and 2007.
Overall, butter consumption experienced a significant decline over the period, while low fat and reduced spreads saw a rapid rise after their introduction, and margarine consumption fluctuated before falling sharply.
In 1981, butter was the most popular spread at 142 grams, peaking at 160 grams in 1986. However, it subsequently plummeted to 50 grams by 2007. Margarine consumption began at 95 grams in 1981, dipped to 80 grams in 1986, and then recovered to reach a plateau of 100 grams between 1991 and 1996. Following this, it declined steadily to 40 grams by the end of the period, making it the least consumed spread.
Low fat and reduced spreads were not recorded until 1996, starting at a low of 10 grams. Their popularity surged dramatically to 80 grams by 2001, briefly overtaking margarine. Although consumption dipped slightly to 70 grams in 2007, these spreads became the most consumed option by the end of the timeframe, surpassing both butter and margarine.