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I've Found the Best Supermarket Butters to Slather on Your Toast
As the cost of butter continues to climb, with prices rising around 19 per cent in the past year alone, it's more important than ever to know which brands deliver true value and flavour. From everyday budget options to luxurious splurges, I've put 16 salted butters from major UK supermarkets to the test, using a consistent method to ensure fair comparisons. The goal was to identify the top performers that are worth adding to your shopping basket, whether you're a casual toast-topper or a dedicated dairy enthusiast.
Why Butter Matters in Today's Market
Butter, once vilified as a 'bad fat' due to its saturated content, has firmly reclaimed its place in our kitchens and diets. Modern health advice now suggests it can be part of a balanced way of eating, leading to a resurgence in popularity. Waitrose has reported a 16 per cent increase in sales of its essentials salted butter compared to last year, while flavoured butters have seen sales soar by 24 per cent in the UK, according to Worldpanel trend forecasting. This renewed appreciation makes selecting the right butter all the more crucial, especially as it's now rare to find a pack for less than £2, with most hovering around the £3 mark.
Our Top Picks for Supermarket Butters
After rigorous testing on multiseed bread, considering factors like taste, creaminess, texture, and value, here are the standout butters that deserve a spot in your fridge.
- Best Supermarket Butter Overall: Sainsbury's Taste the Difference West Country Farmhouse Butter – Made in Somerset with Maldon sea salt flakes, this bright yellow butter offers a savoury tang and creamy, rich texture without greasiness. Priced at £3 for 250g, it's an indulgent choice for toast.
- Best Cheap Supermarket Butter: M&S British Salted Butter – At just £2 for 250g, this affordable option from Marks & Spencer provides a lightly salted, balanced flavour perfect for everyday use and larger families.
- Best Creamy Supermarket Butter: Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter – Known for its milk from grass-fed cows, this 200g block delivers a velvety, creamy texture and morish taste, though it's slightly smaller than others at £3.
- Best Luxurious Supermarket Butter: M&S Cornish Gold Butter with Sea Salt – Produced by Rodda's in Cornwall, this butter features Cornish sea salt crystals and a bright yellow hue, offering an ultra-creamy experience for £4.
- Best Locally-Produced Butter: Trewithen Salted Butter – A newcomer from Cornwall with a two-star Great Taste Award, this butter boasts a complex flavour and easy spreadability, often reduced to around £3.
- Best Everyday Supermarket Butter: Sainsbury's British Butter – One of the cheapest at £2, this mild option is ideal for those who prefer a plainer taste or use butter heavily in baking and sandwiches.
- Best Ethical Supermarket Butter: Yeo Valley Organic Salted Butter – Organic and made with high welfare standards, this 200g butter from Somerset is creamy and well-salted, priced at just over £3.
- Best French Supermarket Butter: Waitrose No.1 French Butter with Sea Salt Crystals – Following a traditional Breton recipe, this butter has a higher butterfat content for a tangy, creamy flavour, though it's expensive at £4.
- Best Jersey Supermarket Butter: M&S Salted Jersey Butter – Made on the island of Jersey, this butter offers a generous salt level and creamy complexity, perfect for weekend breakfasts at £3.
- Best Subtly Salted Supermarket Butter: Waitrose Duchy Organic English Salted Butter – Organic and supporting charitable causes, this lightly salted butter is the most expensive at £4, with a balanced taste.
- Best Slightly Salted Organic Supermarket Butter: Sainsbury's Slightly Salted So Organic Butter – Soil Association certified, this butter has just a hint of salt and a mild, slightly sweet flavour for £3.
- Best Butter with Chunky Salt: Tesco Finest Butter with Sea Salt Crystals – Made in the West Country, this butter features noticeable salt crystals for a zingy touch, priced under £3.
- Best Spreadable Supermarket Butter: Anchor Salted Butter – Double-churned in Wiltshire, this farmer-owned butter is easy to spread and subtly salted, available for £3 in a 200g block.
How the Testing Was Conducted
To ensure accuracy and fairness, I tested each butter by slathering a decent amount on toast made from Sainsbury's multiseeded loaf, then tasting them plain over several days. The evaluation focused on three key criteria: taste and creaminess, looking for rich, full flavours; texture, assessing smoothness without greasiness; and value, considering price in relation to quality. This method allowed me to whittle down the initial 16 options to this final list of 13 top performers.
Trust in Our Reviews
As a food enthusiast and former editor of IndyEats, I bring extensive experience in tasting and reviewing supermarket products, having been shortlisted for Guild of Food Writers Awards. My expertise ensures that these recommendations are reliable and based on thorough, hands-on testing. Whether you're seeking an affordable staple or a luxurious treat, these butters represent the best available on UK supermarket shelves for 2026.
