Foreign companies fined for 'diet shoes'

The consumer watchdog has hit nine major sportswear companies with heavy fines for false advertising about “diet shoes.”

The companies were fined a total of 170,000,000 won ($170 million). They are Reebok, Fila, Prospecs, New Balance, Sketchers, FitFlop, ASICS, LeCaf and Ellesse.

The advertisements had claimed that the shoes would help people lose weight simply by walking, which the Korean Fair Trade Commission said was false.

Some advertisements featured misleading statistics, such as stating that wearing the shows would result in a 20 percent increase in active body mass.

The fair trade commission found that the test groups of five to 12 people were too small, and that the tests lasted only two-and-a-half minutes, too short to determine anything.

"Shoes are to be treated as general merchandise products, not medical equipment nor a diet product," said a commission official. "Losing weight or gaining muscles should be based on eating habits and exercising, and also selecting purchases according to one's personal needs."

Reebok and Ellesse had also claimed _ with no supporting data _ that 10 percent more calories would be burned when the shoes were worn.

Reebok had also made an unverified claim that its products would help wearers lose weight at twice the normal rate.

According to the Fair Trade Commission, it is the first case in which sanctions were imposed on foreign brands headquarters for being the “main agent to take part in domestic advertisement”.