The Federal Trade Commission and the health claims for the Gravity Defyer Shoes

Health & Fitness

  • Author Craig Payne
  • Published November 21, 2022
  • Word count 555

Gravity Defyer are a footwear company which unveiled their footwear in 2008 which had a spring and coil a part of the sole to help increase impact moderation. Gravity Defyer provides an array of sports footwear, informal shoes, dress footwear, boots, walking shoes and sandals for both men and women that happen to be on the highly-priced side. They name their ingenious spring and coil shock absorbing process design, Versoshock and that is patented. The company further point out that it is scientifically proven to relieve knee joint pain, according to a 2017 double-blind study at the Olive View UCLA Clinic. In the study, those who were without knowing provided shoes furnished with VersoShock Technologies experienced 85% reduction in knee joint symptoms. Depending on those outcomes and anecdotes, Gravity Defyer make several health claims with regard to their footwear.

Unfortunately for Gravity Defyer the actual science that supports the health assertions that they're making is not very robust or non-existent. On that basis, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expected Gravity Defyer to carry out adjustments to the approach which they promote and advertise the footwear. As reported by the Federal Trade Commission Gravity Defyer had not been compliant with the undertaking, so the FTC have recently lodged legal action against the company for making the health assertions concerning their footwear which are not supported by the scientific evidence. Gravity Defyer have said that they are in compliance and that their assertions regarding their footwear is supported by the data. The FTC have stated that the statements made by Gravity Defyer are usually overstated plus they are making claims which are beyond what the evidence in fact says.

Gravity Defyer had previously was subject to some dispute for their original logo on the shoes was made looking like a sperm. The company used that brand to suggest that using their shoes you could end up a new living and also the sperm logo design represents the seed of a brand new life. They did publish a press release defending the use of the imagery as their logo design, but it did expose the company to plenty of jokes as well as fun being poked at them. Quite a few authorities in advertising and marketing and design were also critical of the logo. Gravity Defyer eventually changed the logo in 2015 with no statement.

The Federal Trade Commission has a reputation for taking action against shoe businesses and they made substantial multi-million dollar penalties and fees from a several manufacturers of the so-called toning footwear suppliers around 10 years back. They produced quite a few health and wellbeing promises for their footwear from improving postural difficulties to toning up the buttocks. Clearly there was no research for the claims those companies made. A number of these manufacturers additionally encountered class-action lawsuits from customers about their health promises. The Vibram FiveFinger shoe company in addition settled a class action lawsuit over promises for their running shoes and health. The difference in these cases and the Gravity Defyer situation is that there's some evidence to back up the claims that they're making. The matter in the litigation is that if the outcomes of the research happen to be translated properly by the company along with the strength of that science to back up the magnitude and power of the assertions expressed by Gravity Defyer.

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