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BY GARY COTTON
You're watching multisource business news analysis from Newsy.
Are your EasyTones working yet? Reebok says the shoes help tone your butt, but according to Fox News, the Federal Trade Commission isn’t buying it.
“Twenty-five million dollars, that’s how much Reebok is refunding customers who bought its EasyTone or RunTone shoes. The Federal Trade Commission says that Reebok could not prove that the shoes could actually tone muscles.”
Reebok’s advertising said the shoes would shape your rear end 28 percent, and your hamstrings and calves 11 percent. David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, says those numbers might be too specific. (Bloomberg)
“VLADEK: Those claims they can’t make unless they have some science to back those claims up. We’re not asking Reebok to pull the shoes. We’re asking Reebok to make sure it doesn’t make advertising claims it can’t back up.”
Rest assured EasyTone fans. According to MSNBC, Reebok isn’t giving up on the shoes--just the commercials.
COMMENTATER: "Reebok says absolutely not. It did not lie and stands by its product. It continues to say that the product works and it will continue to sell those. [FLASH] The shoes will continue to be sold, but they will not make the same claims in advertisements, and they’ve told all the retailers to pull down any of the advertisements inside the stores.”
Lies or not, a CNBC analyst says the $25 million order might not seem like a lot, but it could rock the tone-up shoe industry if companies can’t prove positive effects.
“If they can’t come up with answers, the pressure is on them to come up with answers, if they can’t, this one billion dollar market is going to come hurdling down.”
But a blogger for Guardian says exaggerated claims are a shoe-industry standard.
“I can't even imagine how a sports shoe advert would work without "misrepresenting tests, studies or research results..."Imagine it: "Um, here's a shoe. It's a lot like a lot of other shoes out there. But maybe you should buy this one because it's got a Reebok logo on it? And Reebok used to be quite cool. Um, somewhere?"
Finally, a blogger for the LA Times says the results of the trade commission’s findings are no surprise, and says the secret to toning isn’t revolutionary.
“We know you had your hopes up that great legs were only a walk around the block away, but don't worry--we have great advice from fitness experts who will really tell you how to get your legs in shape. One caveat: you have to actually exercise.”
Transcript by Newsy