Vibram USA Inc. has agreed to settle for $3.75 million a class action that challenged as wholly misleading the company’s marketing claims that running in its FiveFingers footwear brings an array of health benefits, including a reduced risk of injury.
Vibram’s advertising for the “minimalist” shoes, which can cost $125 and look like thin-soled foot gloves, touted the footwear as a way to strengthen muscles, promote spine alignment, stimulate neural function, reduce lower back pain and improve foot health. Promoting the shoes as providing the benefits of running barefoot without the risks, the company claims its pitches are backed up by scientific research.
