Best-Rated Margarine & Table Spread

See Our Ratings Methodology.

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Most Satisfied Customers | Tablelands

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.

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How we rate margarine and table spreads

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 outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their margarine and table spread brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a margarine and table spread brand as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Taste: the margarine and table spread tasted authentic and matched the flavour description on the packaging (i.e. unsalted, etc).
  • Value for money: the margarine and table spread was reasonably priced given the quality and quantity of the product.
  • Texture & Consistency: the margarine and table spread was rich and had the expected consistency (i.e. remains solid, but softens to a spreadable consistency at room temperature).
  • Packaging Convenience: the margarine and table spread packaging made it easy to dispense and store (i.e. it came in a resealable tub, had measurements written on the packet, etc).
  • Variety & Range: the margarine and table spread brand offered a variety of product options (i.e. extra soft, unsalted, etc).

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.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

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.

  1. Tablelands
  2. Nuttelex
  3. Sunnyvale (ALDI)
  4. Bertolli
  5. Olive Grove
  6. Flora
  7. Meadow Lea
  8. Coles
  9. Woolworths

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.


Top Margarine & Table Spread Brand – Tablelands

Tablelands

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.

  • Tablelands was rated five stars across multiple categories, including taste, texture and consistency, packaging convenience and overall satisfaction, along with four stars for value for money and variety and range.

Other margarine & table spread brands

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.

  • ALDI Pure Vita
  • Gold’n Canola
  • Logicol

What actually is margarine?

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.

Is margarine the same as 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.

What do Aussies look for when buying margarine or table spreads?

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.

About our consumer experts


Dean Heckscher: Site Editor

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: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

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 Team

Past Ratings

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s margarine and table spread ratings:

  • 2022: Nuttelex
  • 2021: Woolworths Essentials
  • 2020: ALDI Sunnyvale
  • 2019: Tablelands
  • 2018: Bertolli
  • 2017: Bertolli
  • 2016: Nuttelex

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