One of New Zealand's biggest food companies, Goodman Fielder, has decided to exclude all genetically modified (gm) ingredients, including animal feed, from its products. New Zealand Greenpeace campaigner Steve Abel says the company's new policy is a victory for the New Zealand consumer. As the single biggest user and distributor of canola oil in Australasia, Goodman's non-gm stance is a significant blow to the market prospects of gm canola in the region.

The pragmatic economics of retailing could be behind this decision. A month ago, New Zealand's largest supermarket chain