Dennis RomeroYou bought a pair of Skechers Shape-ups and you still don't have Kim Kardashian's behind?
You could get a refund.
Really.
In announcing its settlement with the Manhattan Beach footwear company, the Federal Trade Commission cited the firm's marketing claim — which was made, in part, via an endorsement deal with Kardashian — that the shoes could …
… tone their buttocks.
The federal government thinks Skechers gave you the wrong impression, however. It contends that no Kardashian booty was ever developed because of these sneakers.
And so, Skechers settled with the FTC, agreeing to pay $40 million to consumers who feel that their asses aren't big enough as a result of this particular footwear. (Skechers also promised that the sneaks would help you tone up and strengthen your abs.)
Credit: celebuzz.com
Last year Reebok settled for $25 million over similar claims made about its EasyTone shoes.
Interestingly, our friends in Manhattan Beach aren't really backing too far off its claims. They're just saying they're willing to settle:
Skechers denies the allegations and believes its advertising was appropriate …
… Shoes that employ toning technology have been sold in the United States for more than 15 years and have been the subject of numerous research projects with at least 19 reports published in peer-reviewed clinical and sports medicine journals. Researchers from around the world have analyzed various models of toning shoes and found demonstrable fitness benefits from walking and standing in such shoes, as compared to flat-bottomed athletic footwear.
However, the answer to the question, Do these shoes make my butt look big? is, according to the government, at least, no.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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