Wouldn't it melt if it wasn't kept in the fridge? I mean, I could imagine people would want the butter to be softer so they can more easily smear it on their bread, but if that's the case, they're just buying the wrong kind. The type I get is always soft.
The type you get might not really be butter. Or you might keep your fridge too warm.
I've found that butter flavored spreads stay soft in the fridge, they are usually a mixture of artificial fats and oils and aren't really butter. (e.g. I can't believe it's not butter)
I've found that spreadable butter can stay softer in the fridge because of other oils mixed in with the butter, but they can get too firm to spread nicely kept below 45 degrees fahrenheit.
Unsalted butter gets very firm in the fridge, to the point it can get near impossible to shave off flakes to put on food. It keeps its shape well though even as it gets softer and doesn't start melting until close to 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
(Salted butter might be softer, but I don't have experience with it.)
If it spreads well at low temperatures there is a good chance it isn't really butter.
Umm it would go bad if it weren't in the fridge. Fridge is where I keep it.
Butter doesn't go bad that quickly, I think we've had a stick out on the counter for close to a month without any change in taste or appearance. That's part of the reason they would turn milk into butter, so that it would keep longer without refrigeration.
