The graph below shows relative price changes for fresh fruits and vegetables, sugars and sweets, and carbonated drinks between 1978 and 2009.

The line graph provides information about changes in the

price

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of three different food product groups in the USA from 1979 to 2009 and the

overall

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trend in the

consumer

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price

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index

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over these 30 years.

Overall

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,

it is clear that

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prices

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increased for the three food product groups, despite fluctuations. At a glance, an increase in the

prices

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for fresh fruits and vegetables was significantly higher than the rise in the general

consumer

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price

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index

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. All the lines on the graph have the same starting figure in 1979. Over the period, the

consumer

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price

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index

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rose steadily from around 60 in 1979 to over 200 in 2009.

Prices

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for sugar and sweets and carbonated drinks showed similar trends.

Although

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their

prices

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also

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rose, they were consistently below the

consumer

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price

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index

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average after 1987. After many minor fluctuations, the number for sugar and sweets was 200 on the graph in 2009, higher than the final figure for carbonated drinks at 150.

Prices

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rose sharply for fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly after 1989. From the same figure of about 60 at the start of the period, the

prices

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finished at roughly 330 on the

index

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in 2009.