Reebok to pay $25m over toning shoe claims

FTC says buyers will get refunds

September 29, 2011|By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff

The FTC said Reebok made specific performance claims related to its EasyTone… (Neilson Barnard/Getty…)

Reebok International Ltd. will refund $25 million to customers who bought its popular toning shoes, in one of the largest settlements ever reached between a company and the federal government over deceptive advertising claims.

A complaint filed yesterday by the Federal Trade Commission said the Canton footwear maker’s ads frequently featured “very toned, scantily-clad, and sometimes nude’’ women who falsely said that the shoes had been shown to tighten muscles.

As part of the settlement, Reebok is barred from using such claims to market its toning merchandise. Toning shoes - sneakers designed with unstable soles so leg muscles have to work harder to maintain balance during everyday activities - were the fastest growing segment in the footwear industry last year, with sales soaring to $1.1 billion from $350 million in 2009, according to Matt Powell, an analyst with SportsOne Source. The sneakers were sold at a premium of roughly $100 a pair, though prices have dropped significantly in recent months because of an inventory glut.

In one ad cited by the FTC and shown on television and the Internet, a model, wearing little clothing, said, “Reebok EasyTone shoes not only look fantastic, they’ll help make your legs and butt look great, too.’’

Larissa Bungo, a member of the FTC’s case team, said Reebok made specific performance claims related to its toning shoes without having proof. For example, EasyTone ads said the footwear was proven to improve muscle tone and strength by 28 percent and work hamstring and calf muscles 11 percent harder than regular sneakers.

“We want all marketers to know they must have substantiation for their claims prior to making them,’’ Bungo said.

Reebok said yesterday that it stands behind the toning technology. “Settling does not mean we agree with the FTC’s allegations; we do not,’’ the company said in a statement. “We have received overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback from thousands of EasyTone customers, and we remain committed to the further development of our EasyTone products.’’

Reebok - owned by German athletic gear giant Adidas Group - is the first manufacturer to settle false advertising charges over toning shoes, but others also are under scrutiny. Skechers, the largest toning brand with about half the market, disclosed in a securities filing last month that the FTC is reviewing its advertising claims. And in a lawsuit filed by a California woman, New Balance is accused of deceiving customers by promising its toning shoes create more sculpted legs than traditional walking sneakers. The Boston brand declined to comment on the Reebok settlement.