Smithfield is laying the deception on thick by slapping a gluten-free label on its thick-cut bacon. This product’s only ingredient is pork cured in water, sugar and various kinds of salt. Not a single one of these ingredients could ever contain gluten. So what’s the purpose of this meaningless absence claim? A desire to take home more of the bacon ($) in an increasingly competitive market.

Although consumers spend nearly $122 billion on pork products each year, recent health studies have called into question whether people should eat it. As consumers start to figure out whether they should eat pork bacon, companies are diversifying their portfolios to include turkey bacon or bacon alternatives, all of which have made the market more competitive. Instead of leaning on the quality of their product, Smithfield slapped a gluten-free label on something that never had gluten to begin with, all to set itself apart. The fearmongering has got to stop.

Consumers deserve food companies that promote truth and transparency in food labeling, not another quick marketing gimmick to pig out on profits. Make sure to tell Smithfield to cut the baloney and stop misleading labeling. You can send them a message here, post on their Facebook or Tweet at them.