Test supermarket butter against Lurpak – who will win?

In its online store, Sainsbury’s was charging £7.25 for a 750g tin of the lightly salted favorite, Asda was charging £6 and Tesco was charging £5.30.

The “bricks of yellow gold” became a symbol of the growing cost of living crisis in the UK.

A statement from Arla Foods, the owner of Lurpak, said at the time: “We understand that recent food price inflation is hitting many households very hard right now.”

UK in 2022… Lurpak butter costs £6 a tub at ASDA and even comes with a safety label.

mental! 😂🤦🏼‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/ZxOocgYeZg

— Charlie Bennett (@CharIieBennett) July 5, 2022

“Unfortunately, our farmers are facing a similar situation as the prices of feed, fertilizer and fuel they need for milk production have increased significantly in recent months.”

“While we don’t set prices on the shelves, we work closely with retailers to ensure our farmers receive a fair price for the milk they produce.”

Accordingly StatisaLurpak is the leading butter brand in the UK, itself arguably the pioneer of toast.

Tea and toast, the ultimate hangover cure, breakfast, bedtime snack, you name it, the list goes on.

Lurpak has been prevalent in the toast world for decades, so I was wondering if it can be topped?

I went to get a large white loaf (special bread was requested) and got salted butter from Asda, Tesco, Aldi, M&S and also another brand of butter available in most stores. These were the results:

The spoons have moved from Lurpak to Anchor. The dark times are really here pic.twitter.com/t08RYpcvuQ

— Mike Jones (@Mike_cott) August 18, 2023

Tesco British Salted Block Butter 250g – £1.89

5/10

First up was Tesco and I wasn’t excited about trying that one. The lump block had pretty depressing packaging that made it seem unappealing.

However, it didn’t taste too bad on toast. Don’t get me wrong, I had to wait ages for it to come loose when I took it out of the fridge, but it was ok, especially for the price.

Maybe it seemed like a good baking butter to me?

ASDA Salted Butter 250g – £1.89

2/10

Same weight and price as Tesco but nowhere near the same taste, I could have sworn it was lard.

I only managed a few bites before I got rid of it.

While I doubt this is intended for toast, that doesn’t mean it’s completely useless. Now that I only have one big block left, I think I’ll make a garlic herb butter out of it and use that for basting.

Nordpak Spreadable, lightly salted from ALDI, 500g – £2.19

9/10

I believe this only comes in 500g but what can I say other than oh my word?

I’m a Nordpak enthusiast, I admit that, but I’ve never compared it to Lurpak so thoroughly. From the fridge to the counter, there was no problem distributing everything.

From aroma to taste, it was creamy yet rich. This is exactly why ALDI really is the best store in my eyes: it produces quality goods at half the price of most other stores.

£2.19 for 500g is an incredibly good price for this butter.

“I can get you Lurpak, but it will cost you” pic.twitter.com/bN106JqXRa

— Mnrrntt (@mnrrntt) July 5, 2022

M&S Organic British Salted Butter 250g – £3.40

8/10

Posho has entered the chat.

Boy, was that some nice butter. This rich, organic British salted butter is made on the family-run Brue Valley Farm in Somerset and is the best-tasting butter of all.

However, £3.40 for 250g is a scandal.

Country Life British Salted Butter 250g – £2 at most stores

1/10

Salted butter contains added salt and is what most people use to spread on toast, bagels, and muffins, and to fry eggs and vegetables. However, I wouldn’t spread this butter on my worst enemy.

Just as bad if not worse than Asda.

Lurpak 250g – £2.50

7/10

👀Incredulous as the price of Lurpak hits £9.35 in the big supermarket

— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 5, 2022

According to mysupermarketcompare, the cheapest 250g tin of Lurpak is £2.50 in Iceland.

Lurpak is the gold standard in the butter world, but now I’m not sure why. On toast it was creamy and tasty (especially in large batches) but nothing special.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfect for spreading bread or flavoring vegetables, but the fluctuating price of this butter from store to store really doesn’t justify it, especially when you have Nordpak on the market.