If you want to know where the world is heading, follow the money.
According to a recent update from The Detox Project, the market for Glyphosate Residue Free (GRF) certified products has now surpassed USD $800 million in retail sales—and it’s just getting started. Over 150 brands and 70,000 products worldwide now carry the GRF label, reflecting a powerful shift in what consumers want—and what they no longer trust.
This isn’t just a trend. It’s a warning shot to industry players still clinging to the status quo.
Consumers aren’t waiting for regulators to catch up.
They’re voting with their wallets—and the message is clear:
“If you want our loyalty, prove your product is clean.”
A New Standard for a Distrusting World
Organic labels used to carry the weight of trust. But over time, consumer confidence has eroded—due to loopholes in enforcement, imported products with questionable origins, and allowable pesticide residues even within certified programs.
That’s where Glyphosate Residue Free certification comes in: laser-focused, test-based, and transparent.
While organic certification focuses on farming practices, GRF certification tests the actual product for glyphosate residues. If none are detected above laboratory thresholds (typically <10 ppb), the product earns the label. No promises. Just proof.
And as consumer awareness grows, so does demand.
And that growing demand isn’t confined to one part of the supermarket — it’s spreading across entire product categories worldwide.
These categories reflect global market data for now, because New Zealand doesn’t yet have its own glyphosate-free category breakdown — but that’s a gap we intend to help fill.
The Fastest–Growing Glyphosate-Free Product Categories
If you look at where the market is moving the quickest, the pattern is unmistakable. Consumers aren’t just choosing “healthier” products — they’re choosing tested products. And that demand is spreading across almost every aisle.
Here are the categories growing fastest in the glyphosate-free space:
• Oats & breakfast cereals
Because people are waking up to where residues show up the most — and where testing matters.
• Baby food & infant formula
Parents are leading this shift. “Trust us” isn’t enough when the customer is under 12 months old.
• Plant-based milks
Especially brands that share their glyphosate testing publicly — a clear edge in a crowded market.
• Honey
One of the most sensitive categories globally, and the easiest to test. Consumers know this.
• Supplements
A rapidly growing area because people expect purity in something they take daily.
• Pet food
Pet owners aren’t waiting for vets or regulators. If it’s not tested, they’re switching brands.
• Snacks and bars
Convenience foods are finally being held to the same standard as pantry staples.
• Skincare & cosmetics
Because it goes on the body — not just in it.
• Cleaning products
Unexpected, but growing fast. “Glyphosate residue free” is becoming a broader trust signal.
• Textiles
Yes — certified textiles exist. And yes — consumers care enough to buy them.
This shift tells us something important: glyphosate-free isn’t a niche anymore. It’s becoming the default expectation for brands that want to keep consumer trust — especially in export-facing categories.
But what does this global growth mean for New Zealand, where testing and certification still lag behind?
Glyphosate-Free Market Snapshot
Here’s what the global glyphosate-free market looks like right now — and why so many brands overseas are moving early:
- USD $800+ million in retail sales
- 70,000+ certified products worldwide
- 150+ certified brands
- 35%+ year-over-year growth across key categories
- Major U.S. and EU retailers expanding shelf space for glyphosate-free products by 20–40%
These aren’t niche numbers.
They reflect a market that has already shifted — and is pulling the food industry with it.
Where New Zealand Stands in the Global Glyphosate-Free Shift
Globally, the shift toward glyphosate-free products is accelerating. Consumers overseas now expect transparency, batch testing, and proof—not promises. Yet here in New Zealand, companies have been much slower to adapt.
Part of that delay comes from a simple reality:
New Zealand has no official glyphosate-free market data.
No breakdown of categories.
No national residue monitoring.
No certification uptake tracking.
And when you don’t measure something, it’s easy to pretend the demand isn’t there.
But the signs are already visible.
- Glyphosate-free oats NZ: Harraways has banned pre-harvest spraying and enforces strict glyphosate-free growing protocols, proving it can be done.
- Glyphosate-free honey NZ: Independent testing—including our own—has shown that residues do appear in NZ honey, making the case for routine testing even stronger.
- Glyphosate-free products NZ: Transparency is still rare here. Even brands taking steps—like Boring® Oat Milk—aren’t publishing glyphosate test results, which shows just how far New Zealand still has to go.
- Glyphosate-free testing NZ: With MPI refusing to conduct meaningful residue testing, New Zealand is now relying on independent organisations and community-funded lab work to fill the gap.
So while New Zealand may not (yet) have a glyphosate-free certification boom like the U.S. or Europe, the demand is here.
It’s growing.
And once exporters realise overseas buyers are already shifting their expectations, the pressure to catch up will grow quickly.
The question isn’t whether the trend will reach New Zealand.
It’s whether our producers will be ready when it does.
A Wake-Up Call for New Zealand Exporters?
In the U.S. and Europe, retailers are moving quickly. Product categories that once ignored glyphosate are now rushing to offer tested, certified, residue-free options. Baby food. Oats. Plant-based milks. Supplements. Even textiles. The shift is already mainstream overseas.
But here in New Zealand, progress is noticeably slower.
A handful of brands are stepping up.
Boring® Oat Milk conducts glyphosate testing and has openly acknowledged taking steps to ensure their oats meet glyphosate-free expectations.
Harraways has banned pre-harvest spraying and enforces strict glyphosate-free growing protocols.
Both are signalling where the market is heading.
But they remain the outliers — not the norm.
And that raises the uncomfortable questions:
Why aren’t more New Zealand brands preparing for what’s coming?
And how long before export buyers start demanding proof, not reassurance?
New Zealand has always relied on its “clean, green” reputation. But a reputation isn’t a substitute for evidence — not anymore. Not when global consumers have already shifted from trusting labels to checking test results.
If exporters don’t move soon, they may find the world has moved on without them.
For Companies, It’s a Risk Not to Act
Many businesses still assume that glyphosate residue isn’t a concern—that if regulators allow it, consumers won’t care.
They’re wrong.
More than ever, buyers want to know what’s in their food. A rising wave of independent testing, class-action lawsuits, and viral social media campaigns has made glyphosate a household name—and not in a good way.
The fastest-growing market segment isn’t just natural—it’s tested and verified.
And as glyphosate-free certification continues to gain traction, companies that wait too long to adapt could find themselves excluded from key markets, or worse—called out by name.
The real risk isn’t from going glyphosate-free.
It’s from not doing it soon enough.
Why This Matters for Everyone
You don’t need to run a food brand to care about this.
What this surge tells us is that consumers are taking back control—not by trusting regulators or advertising slogans, but by demanding certification and independent verification.
And here in New Zealand, it’s time we listened.
At No More Glyphosate NZ, we’re not just observing market trends—we’re leading grassroots action. Our independent testing has already uncovered glyphosate residues in New Zealand honey, Weet-Bix, supermarket bread, and breakfast cereals. And we’re not stopping there. With public support, we’re expanding into flour, oats, and even testing breast milk—because transparency shouldn’t be optional.
Because if the market is demanding clean products, then testing is no longer a luxury.
It’s a necessity.
Glyphosate-Free FAQ (New Zealand Edition)
Is glyphosate-free the same as organic?
Not quite. Organic certification focuses on farming practices, not residue outcomes. A product can be organic and still contain allowable levels of pesticides. “Glyphosate-free” means the final product has been tested and no detectable glyphosate is present above lab thresholds.
Why are more brands testing for glyphosate?
Because consumers are demanding proof, not promises. Overseas, brands are realising that “clean” now means independently tested — especially as lawsuits, scientific papers, and social media have made glyphosate a household word.
Are glyphosate-free products safer?
They’re not a health claim — they’re a transparency standard. “Glyphosate-free” simply means the product has been tested and shows no detectable glyphosate. For many consumers, that’s a safer choice than relying on regulatory limits or incomplete national testing.
Why is glyphosate testing rare in New Zealand?
Because no agency has stepped forward to make it routine. MPI’s residue monitoring programmes largely avoid glyphosate, and the New Zealand Total Diet Study hasn’t meaningfully tested for it in years. That’s why independent groups — including us — are stepping in.
How do glyphosate residue limits affect exports?
International buyers increasingly expect verified low residues, especially in baby food, grains, oats, honey, and plant-based products. As overseas retailers move toward glyphosate-free shelves, exporters who cannot provide test results may lose access to key markets.
A Shift Worth Watching
The glyphosate-free movement is no longer fringe. It’s mainstream—and it’s growing fast. Brands that adapt now will be ahead of the curve. Those that wait may struggle to catch up.
For consumers, it’s a reminder: we don’t have to wait for government policy to protect us. We can choose products, support companies, and demand standards that reflect our values—right now.
The global rise of glyphosate-free products isn’t slowing down — and New Zealand can’t afford to ignore the trend.
The market is already moving. The only question is whether New Zealand will keep up—or be left behind.
Resources & References
The Detox Project – Glyphosate Residue Free Certification Report (2024)
Details the rapid growth of the GRF certification market and global consumer demand for tested products.
https://detoxproject.org/glyphosate-residue-free-certification-market-reaches-usd-800-million-as-consumers-demand-transparency/
From Gluten-Free to Glyphosate-Free
Explores how the demand for cleaner food labels is shifting toward more specific and measurable standards.
https://nomoreglyphosate.nz/from-gluten-free-to-glyphosate-free/
MPI’s Missing Data: Why We Can’t Trust the Glyphosate Reassurance
Highlights the absence of recent glyphosate food testing in New Zealand, and why consumers are turning to independent certification instead.
https://nomoreglyphosate.nz/mpis-missing-glyphosate-data/
Independent Glyphosate Testing in New Zealand
Our community-funded testing has identified residues in honey, cereals, and supermarket bread — reinforcing why transparency matters.
https://nomoreglyphosate.nz/tag/testing-results/
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