In 1992, when I moved from Southern California to the United Kingdom, I was a confirmed margarine consumer.   However, arriving in the UK, I soon found that margarine was difficult to come by whereas butter was available in huge varieties.   And, lard, should one want it...

Now, shopping at my local supermarket, it is obvious that margarine and vegetable oil spreads are the norm, and butter is not as popular.   And, having purchased a common brand of butter, I can imagine why.

On both sides of the Atlantic, yes, we call it butter.   Just like we all agree on what to call "chocolate".   But as is the case with chocolate, which tastes rather different from country to country, American butter and English (or New Zealand butter since that is what I often used) simply tastes different.   IMHO, English butter is creamier, richer, sweeter.   It tastes good enough to find excuses to eat it.   The butters I've tried so far in the USA simply remind me that butter contains cholesterol...   (something folks in the UK don't give much mind to) and that I should be using a healthier option.

I miss good butter... and the occasional helping of clotted cream, another wonderful English culinary delight.   Sigh...