Peloton Issues Nationwide Recall Of Tread Plus Treadmills Over Child Safety Concerns

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/AP) -- During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of San Francisco Bay Area residents bought Peloton Tread Plus treadmills to maintain their fitness while sheltering in place. On Wednesday, the company announced a voluntary recall over safety concerns.

The recall came after Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning last month, saying it had become aware of 39 accidents involving the treadmill, including "multiple reports of children becoming entrapped, pinned, and pulled under" the $4,295 device."

After fighting a recall for weeks, the fitness company said Wednesday it was advising customers who already have either the Tread or Tread+ products to immediately stop using the equipment. The company said customers should
contact Peloton for a full refund or other qualified remedy.

In a statement, Peloton's CEO John Foley said:

"The decision to recall both products was the right thing to do for Peloton's Members and their families. 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."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Peloton April warning came in the wake of a March incident with the machine that involved a child's death. The agency said there have been 29 reports of injuries to children such as second- and third-degree abrasions, broken bones, and lacerations.

The CPSC released a video showing a small child playing with a powered-on treadmill while it lifts off the ground and the child becomes pinned under it. The agency released details of other incidents, including a child being injured when an adult was using it and "pets and objects" also being sucked beneath it suggesting "possible harm to the user if the user loses balance as a result."
redistributed