FTC: You Cannot Lose Weight By Wearing Caffeinated Underpants
Infusing ladies’ undergarments with caffeine does not make them weight loss aids, as it turns out. This news may not come as a surprise to most of us, but two companies were trying to sell just such a product with the claim that it would indeed have a slimming effect. The not-so-magical underwear has made one thing significantly smaller, though: the bank accounts of the two companies in question, which have reached a $1.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
The FTC announced the settlement with Norm Thompson Outfitters, Inc. and Wacoal America, Inc. this afternoon. The companies are barred from making future “false and unsubstantiated claims” about their shapewear, and must pay more than $1.5 million in consumer refunds.
One company claimed that wearing their caffeine-infused unmentionables would “eliminate or substantially reduce cellulite; reduce the wearer’s hip measurements by up to two inches and their thigh measurements by one inch; and reduce thigh and hip measurements ‘without any effort’,” according to the FTC.
The other company made very similar claims, but also said that its iPants (yes, iPants) would also “destroy fat cells, resulting in substantial slimming.”
As we are all no doubt shocked to learn, these claims appear not to be true or backed up by any actual scientific evidence, which makes them a violation of the FTC Act.
In addition to paying up for refunds, the settlement agreement bans both companies from claiming that any drug-infused garment will cause a substantial drop in one’s weight, fat, or measurements.
“Caffeine-infused shapewear is the latest ‘weight-loss’ brew concocted by marketers,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “If someone says you can lose weight by wearing the clothes they are selling, steer clear. The best approach is tried and true: diet and exercise.”
Today might be National Coffee Day, but there are some places caffeine just should not go.
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.
