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False Advertising
We have all seen those late-night infomercials promoting some kind of product that will make you rich, slim or happy. Watching TV commercials, skimming through a magazine or browsing online also can lead you to believe that each product can change your life for the better. The reality is that many products do not perform as we the consumers are led to believe. How many times have you seen a commercial for big, juicy burger only to receive a flat-looking disappointment of a meal?
The Federal Trade Commission recently made an advertiser pay for what they believe to be false advertising. Reebok had been promoting a shoe called the Easy Tone which was supposed to “strengthen and tone key leg and buttock muscles more than regular shoes,” according to the FTC. The FTC found these claims to be faulty and levied a $25 million dollar fine against Reebok. They also warned other advertisers not to market in this manner. Sketchers also has a shoe with similar ‘technology’ called Shape-Ups, promoted by Kim Kardashian.
It’s important for a consumer to use his better judgement when purchasing a particular product. Just because the advertiser tells you that a product can do x, y and z, does not mean that it can do x, y or even z. Talk to your friends or colleagues who have purchased the same product, go online and read some reviews and always take the product’s return policy into consideration.
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