The UK's largest certifier of organic food, the Soil Association, is considering withdrawing its approval from food shipped to the UK by air. It is a bad idea, at best diluting what was a clear standard on food production. At worst it gives comfort to protectionist ideas and damages vulnerable farmers in developing countries.

Organic food is a booming market in the UK. Some consumers perceive it to be healthier, tastier, more environmentally friendly and more ethically traded. Some narrow claims are defensible - for instance, about high Vitamin C levels in organic Kiwi fruit. But broader claims about the moral, environmental or culinary superiority of organic food are hard to prove and the Soil Association is rightly cautious about making them.