As the merger would leave New Zealand with virtually no competition in the domestic dairy sector, government legislation was required for Fonterra to be formed.

It is available in (and manufactured in) many areas including: In Britain, Anchor block butter was imported from New Zealand until August 2012 when Arla Foods UK transferred production to a local factory in Westbury, Wiltshire, using English cream.

[citation needed] A campaign in 2003 for Anchor Spreadable, created by Jonti Picking, of Weebl and Bob fame, included television ads featuring wobbly cows.

[citation needed] Anchor Spreadable, as well as other New Zealand butter products, were banned from import into the EU for a short time.

This came after a complaint made to the European Commissioner for Trade, Peter Mandelson, by the German dairy trader, Egenberger.