Vibram FiveFingers Shoes Class Action Lawsuit

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UPDATE: Vibram USA Inc. has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the company of falsely advertising the health benefits of its FiveFingers footwear.

UPDATE 2: The settlement administrator website is live, but there is not yet a claim form available to sign up. We expect the claim form to be available within 60 days and we will post an update when it is made available. 

UPDATE 3: On May 29, 2014, Claim Forms for the Vibram class action settlement are now available! Click here for detailed instructions on how to file a claim.

UPDATE 4: The Final Fairness Hearing for the Vibram FiveFingers settlement was held on Oct. 29, 2014 and the plaintiffs have asked the judge to grant final approval to the deal. On Nov. 19, 2014, an objection was filed with the court and may delay the final approval of the class action settlement. The objector argues that the FiveFingers settlement is unfair to Class Members because they would receive benefits that are of substantially less value than was estimated in the notice.

UPDATE 5: On Dec. 31, 2015, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Vibram FiveFingers class action settlement, finding that the payout to Class Members is fair even if they will receive a far smaller refund than was estimated in the Class Notice.

UPDATE 6: On June 15, 2016, Top Class Actions readers who submitted timely and valid claims for the Vibram FiveFingers settlement began receiving checks worth as much as $20.21!

A class action lawsuit has been filed against the maker of FiveFingers running shoes, accusing the company of falsely advertising the health benefits the shoes provide.

According to the FiveFingers running shoe class action lawsuit, Vibram USA, Inc. made misleading claims about the health benefits of the shoes, which are designed to mimic the act of running barefoot. In its advertising, Vibram says the shoes improve posture and foot health, reduce risk of injury, strengthen foot and lower leg muscles, and promote spine alignment. According to the class action lawsuit, however, the shoes may actually increase the risk of injury to runners because it changes the way they have always run with conventional shoes, and may actually be more risky than running barefoot.

Sound familiar? Over the past three years, multiple shoe companies have been hit with similar class action lawsuits over how they market their shoes. Last year, Reebok refunded $25 million to customers as part of a class action lawsuit settlement over deceptive claims it made that its EasyTone toning shoes improved muscle tone. New Balance and Sketchers have also been hit with class action lawsuits over their toning shoe ads.

While similarities exist between the Vibram FiveFingers class action lawsuit and the other cases, the key claims in the Vibram case differ.

For example, while Reebok promised a firmer butt and toned legs as a result of wearing its toning shoes, Vibram’s claims are more about the health benefits of barefoot running, which Vibram claims are supported by scientific evidence.

“Unbeknownst to consumers, Defendants’ health claims are deceptive because FiveFingers are not proven to provide any health benefits beyond what conventional running shoes provide. In fact, there are no well-designed scientific studies that support Defendants’ health benefits claims regarding FiveFingers,” the class action lawsuit states.

The lawsuit cites the American Podiatric Medical Association’s position on barefoot running, which says “research has not yet adequately shed light on the immediate and long-term effects of this practice.”

The Vibram FiveFingers shoe class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all U.S. consumers who purchased FiveFingers for running between March 21, 2009 and the present. It is seeking restitution and an order requiring Vibram to immediately cease its misleading health benefits claims.

A copy of the Vibram FiveFingers Shoe Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.

The case is Valerie Bezdek v. Vibram USA, Inc. and Vibram FiveFingers, LLC, Case No. 12-cv-10513, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts.