Skechers To Pay $40M Over False ‘Shape Up’ Toning Shoe Ad Claims [VIDEO]

We all remember the Skecher Shape-ups commercial of Kim Kardashian sweating in the gym while seemingly losing weight, building muscle and ultimately getting in shape all with the simple addition of new sneakers. However, now Skechers has just agreed to pay a $40 million settlement after their Shape-ups advertised false claims of assisting in toning your body.

"Skechers' unfounded claims went beyond stronger and more toned muscles. The company even made claims about weight loss and cardiovascular health," David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.

Vladeck continued, "The FTC's message, for Skechers and other national advertisers, is to shape up your substantiation, or tone down your claims."

The Federal Trade Commission also stated that Skechers "deceived consumers" regarding the advertisement and actual benefits of its Shape-ups, Resistance Runner, Toners, and Tone-ups lines of shoes. The company has settled to pay $40 million to cover more than 520,000 claims.

Skechers Shape-ups became popular mainly due to the celebrities featured in the false advertising. Kim Kardashian was featured in a 2011 Super Bowl Commercial that claimed you no longer needed a trainer if you wear Shape-ups. "Bye-bye trainer, hello Shape-ups" was the steamy commercials catch phrase.

Despite Skechers advertising that the shoes provided more weight loss and muscle toning and strengthening of the buttocks, legs, and abdominal area than regular fitness shoes. Several scientific studies disputed these “toning” claims.

In 2010, NPR reported that the American Council on Exercise performed a comparison study between the benefits of toning shoes from Skechers, Reebok, and MBT against ordinary running shoes.
"Both studies found that there was no significant difference between any of the toning shoes and the standard running shoe."

Todd Galati, a member of the American Council on Exercise said, "Bottom line, is that claims that toning shoes help people burn calories, improve muscle tone and build strength are bunk."