Reebok, one of the premiere shoe companies on the planet, is getting a boot in their butt from the legal system for false fitness claims. The now-famous toning shoes on the market claim to tone your legs and behind while you walk. The Federal Trade Commission begs to differ, and now Reebok is paying $25 million in damages.
“The FTC wants national advertisers to understand that they must exercise some responsibility and ensure that their claims for fitness gear are supported by sound science,” said David Vladeck, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s bureau of consumer protection.
The FTC says that there isn’t enough scientific proof to support the claim that walking in the EasyTone shoes or running in RunTone shoes can shape your legs and butt.
Ads began in 2024 with very specific claims, claims that the FTC says don’t hold up:
- Walking in the toning shoes could provide 28 percent more strength and tone in the buttock muscles compared with regular walking shoes.
- You could also see 11 percent more toning in the hamstring muscles and 11 percent more in the calf muscles.
“We stand behind our EasyTone technology – the first shoe in the toning category that was inspired by balance-ball training,” said Reebok in a company statement.
Reebok says they aren’t admitting guilt by accepting the settlement. That said, they still have to comply with a refunding offer to customers who bought the toning shoes. The refund amount will depend on how many people who apply for it.
Under the settlement, Reebok is no longer allowed to make health claims regarding the toning shoes or any other product “unless the claims are true and backed by scientific evidence.”
Will you be asking for a refund?
(via: LA Times)
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