Peloton Tread+ Warning: Consumer Agency Concerns & Company Response

Peloton Tread+ Safety Concerns and Warnings

Approximately one month prior to today, Peloton’s Chief Executive Officer, John Foley, published an open letter addressing concerns regarding the company’s treadmill product. The letter commenced by acknowledging a tragic incident involving a child and the Tread+, which unfortunately resulted in a fatality.

Foley stated that while the company was aware of a limited number of incidents where children were injured by the Tread+, each occurrence was deeply upsetting to the Peloton team, and their sympathies were extended to the affected families.

CPSC Issues Warning

Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released a warning advising users to discontinue use of the Tread+. This action follows the documentation of 39 incidents, including the previously mentioned death.

The CPSC asserts that the preservation of public health and safety necessitates a swift warning regarding the identified hazard.

Peloton’s Response

Peloton responded with a statement expressing its disagreement with the CPSC’s public announcement. The company characterized the CPSC’s press release as both inaccurate and misleading.

Peloton maintains that there is no justification for ceasing Tread+ usage, provided that all provided warnings and safety guidelines are diligently followed.

Details of Reported Incidents

The CPSC’s warning details multiple injuries sustained by young children and a pet. The commission specifically recommends that users with children in the home immediately stop using the treadmill.

This represents a more forceful recommendation than the initial guidance provided by Foley in March, which advised users to keep children and pets away from the device and to store it securely when not in use.

Peloton has since disclosed that there have been 23 incidents involving children, 15 incidents involving objects, and one incident involving a pet, as highlighted by the CPSC. The company explained that it had previously refrained from revealing these specifics due to privacy considerations.

CPSC Safety Recommendations

The CPSC strongly urges that, if consumers choose to continue using the Tread+, it should only be done within a locked room.

This precaution is intended to prevent access by children and pets while the treadmill is operational. Furthermore, the organization advises keeping all objects, including exercise balls and other fitness equipment, clear of the treadmill’s vicinity.

The connected fitness company has not yet issued further statements.