Fitness

Reebok Settles Toning-Shoe Suit

FTC says advertisements are deceptive.

Surprise: Reebok’s fitness shoes might not work as advertised. The shoe company has agreed to pay $25 million to settle charges that its “toning shoe” advertisements are deceptive. Reebok ads claimed the shoes toned the wearer’s buttocks up to 28 percent more than regular shoes, but the U.S. Federal Trade Commission charged that the shoe company had no research to back that up. "There is no such thing as a no-work, no-sweat way to a fit and healthy body,” said the head of the FTC’s Consumer Protection Bureau. Despite settling the suit, Adidas, which owns Reebok, said they disagreed with the FTC’s claim. The money will be used to refund people who bought the shoes.