Sorry Kim Kardashian fans but you are not going to get her famous butt by simply sporting a pair of $100 Skechers Shape-ups and for that very reason you could be entitled to a partial refund of your purchase price.
Skechers USA Inc. has agreed to pay $40 million to setting a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit after the company made wild claims that their shoes would help wearers lose weight, strength their legs and firm up their butt and stomach muscles. The company had the likes of Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke and other celebrities endorse the product.
Also included in the lawsuit were Skechers Resistance Runner, Toners, and Tone-ups shoes
This isn’t the first time a refund has been demanded by the FTC, last year Reebok’s EasyTone and RunTone shoes which made similar claims were fined $25 million which was in turn provided to customers in the form of refunds.
In its ads Skechers said the Shape-up line was designed with a curved “rocker” bottom which caused natural instability and therefore caused users to “use more energy with every step.” The ads then went on to claim that “muscle activation” could be increased by up to 85 percent for “posture-related muscles” and that a 71 percent muscle increase would also be felt in the buttocks.
The FTCs biggest concern was that Skechers falsely represented clinical study claims, making the shoes seem more impressive in their capabilities than those studies actually claimed.
Following the FTCs decision Skechers filed court documents in which it says the charges will be disputed as it pursues additional studies.
In the meantime a further settlement against the company is expected to be announced on Wednesday, that settlement includes amulti-state investigation in Tennessee and Ohio. The state based investigation is expected to carry with it a $5 million payout.
