'I taste tested Anchor butter against supermarket rivals - there was one clear winner'

For decades, we were advised that butter was harmful to our health. It's accurate that butter's relatively elevated saturated fat content makes it less than ideal for our heart health.

However, nutrition experts equally caution that most margarines fall into the ultra-processed food category - which we're similarly urged to steer clear of.

Numerous margarines are manufactured using refined vegetable oils and incorporate additional industrial components including emulsifiers, artificial flavourings, and colourings.

Due to this, butter is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, with many specialists now recommending that - when consumed moderately - it represents the optimal choice for spreading on your toast.

Yet not every butter is manufactured to the same standard. Food critic Emma Henderson conducted taste trials on 13 popular brands available at supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury's to determine which options are superior for your cardiovascular system, your budget - and your palate.

Remarkably, arguably the most recognisable brand available - Anchor - performed poorest, finishing 13th with a 3.5 out of 5 score.

Conversely, supermarket own-label products dominated the rankings at the summit. Emma positioned Sainsbury's own Taste the Difference West Country farmhouse butter at the top with a flawless five-star rating.

Crafted using premium components such as Maldon sea salt flakes, a 250g pack is available for an extremely reasonable £3. The butter's name derives from a distinctive preparation method, Emma explained in the Independent: "The farmhouse style refers to it following a slower churning process, usually using a higher-quality whey cream from leftover cheese production, instead of fresh whey."

It's worth highlighting that, currently, the West Country farmhouse butter is unavailable through Sainsbury's online delivery service.

Tesco Finest's butter with sea salt crystals secured 12th place, whilst much of the remaining list featured products from M&S and Waitrose, with Irish brand Kerrygold claiming third position.

Regarding M&S British salted butter, which secured second place with the same 5 stars, Emma noted its £2 price was "as affordable as it gets for decent blocks of butter".

She added: "Lightly salted and not too overpowering, this is a great everyday butter that isn't too salty or sweet, and is 'just right'."

The butter renaissance stretches well beyond that golden spread you slather on your crumpets, however. Social media movements have witnessed British consumers experimenting with flavoured varieties, including chocolate or truffle butter.

Statistics released by retail specialists Worldpanel reveal that expenditure on speciality flavoured butters throughout the UK surged by 24% in the 12 months leading to September 7, 2025, compared with the preceding year. During the same timeframe, growth for packs of flavoured butter also climbed by 16.2%.

Alice Pilkington, from market research firm Mintel, told The Guardian: "There are several factors driving the popularity of flavoured butter, including the emergence of a 'foodie' culture and social media's increasing influence. In the UK, 61% of 16- to 34-year-olds would describe themselves as foodies, compared with 42% of consumers overall.

"These younger consumers are often discovering new flavours and food trends through social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This has led to a strong appetite for culinary exploration and innovative products."