Peloton's CEO said the recall is "the right thing to do."
May 5, 2021, 2:53 PM
• 4 min read
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articlePeloton and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced two separate voluntary recalls of Peloton’s Tread+ and Tread treadmills after reports of injuries and a death, Peloton and the CPSC said in a statement Tuesday.
Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled treadmills "immediately" and should contact Peloton for a full refund or "other qualified remedy," according to the statement.
The company has stopped selling the Tread+ and is working on modifying the exercise device.
Maggie Lu uses a Peloton Tread treadmill during CES 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 11, 2018, in Las Vegas.
In April, the CPSC issued an "urgent warning" for people to stop using Peloton's Tread+ treadmill if they have small children or pets at home, one month after the company revealed that a child died in an accident involving the workout equipment.
The federal regulatory agency said it had learned of "multiple incidents" of small children and a pet being sucked under and injured beneath the machines. As of April, the CPSC said it is aware of 39 incidents involving the treadmill, including one death related to the $4,295 treadmill.
Peloton said it discovered through CPSC's public database that a child had experienced a brain injury in connection with the treadmill. In February, a father found his 3-year-old boy trapped under a Tread+ and "not breathing and pulseless," according to the CPSC incident report. The child is expected to "fully recover," the company said. Peloton said it also received additional reports of earlier incidents and reported them to CPSC.
John Foley, Peloton's CEO, said the recall was "the right thing to do."
"The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton’s Members and their families," he said in a statement. "I want to be clear, Peloton made a mistake in our initial response to the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s request that we recall the Tread+. We should have engaged more productively with them from the outset. For that, I apologize. Today’s announcement reflects our recognition that, by working closely with the CPSC, we can increase safety awareness for our Members. We believe strongly in the future of at-home connected fitness and are committed to work with the CPSC to set new industry safety standards for treadmills. We have a desire and a responsibility to be an industry leader in product safety."
Added Robert S. Adler, acting chairman of the CPSC: "The agreement, which the Commission voted this morning to accept, requires Peloton to immediately stop selling and distributing both the Tread+ and Tread products in the United States and refund the full purchase price to consumers who wish to return their treadmills. The agreement between CPSC and Peloton is the result of weeks of intense negotiation and effort, culminating in a cooperative agreement that I believe serves the best interests of Peloton and of consumers. I would like to thank the CPSC technical staff who have worked tirelessly to protect consumers and to warn the public. Today we have taken steps to prevent further harm from these two products."
ABC News' Rebecca Jarvis contributed to this report.
