Aussies have rated Tablelands as the toast of the town in Canstar Blue’s latest margarine & table spread review, scoring five stars for taste, texture and consistency, packaging convenience and overall satisfaction.
Our review compares margarine and table spreads on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which margarine and table spreads they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,952 Australians for their feedback on the margarine and table spread(s) they’ve purchased and eaten from a supermarket or grocer in the last three months. Note: this does not include butter.
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Tablelands offers a number of spreads, including dairy free, cholesterol reduced and olive oil spreads to provide a healthier alternative for those looking to lather their morning toast. With vegan and vegetarian-friendly options also available, select Tablelands products are also dairy and lactose-free, ideal for those with allergies, intolerances and preferences. Tubs are available in either 500g or 1kg varieties, depending on the product.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are several more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
A ‘true’ margarine, according to food standard regulators, contains a minimum of 80% fat (80g of fat per 100g of margarine). This being the case, there are very few ‘true’ kinds of margarine available in Australia today – most will fall under the category of oil-based, reduced-fat, or another type of ‘spread’. Therefore, our customer ratings refer to margarine and table spreads. Ultimately, we’re talking about ‘that stuff’ you put on your toast and sandwiches, which isn’t butter.
No — margarine is not the same as butter. Margarine is a non-dairy alternative (made from vegetable oils) to butter (which is made from heavy cream separated from milk). In fact, different types of plant-based butter are collectively considered margarine, but if you’re looking for a vegan option, keep in mind that the general term for margarine still includes a mix of plant-based and non-plant-based products. In short, the only commonalities that margarine and butter share is that they’re both yellow, available as sticks or spreads, and used for cooking and baking.
Whether you’re baking, cooking, or just spreading it on toast, our latest survey reveals one in three Aussie shoppers (36%) opt for the ‘healthier’ option (i.e. light or reduced salt). Almost two in five (38%) even choose margarine based on specific health benefits, such as reduced salt or low fat. Meanwhile, 18% of shoppers just buy whichever margarine is cheapest.
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Picture credits: Olesya Kuznetsova / Shutterstock.com.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.
Meet the Editorial Team
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Meet the Research TeamHere are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s margarine and table spread ratings:
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