Monday, September 28, 2015

The Abtronic : Burning fat or brain cells?

We've all laid on the couch clicking through the channels when suddenly an infomercial flashes on the screen. These cheesy productions seek to peddle a bogus product to the masses; either an ingenious way to make the perfect meatloaf or exercise equipment to make up for all those meatloaves. Once we finish paying a leg and an arm in shipping and handling fees, plus ten "easy payments", a box arrives weeks later and we have something called The Abtronic. Simply spread some gel over your expanding gut and strap on this WWE-styled synthentic belt and let rapid weight-loss commence. The creator of The Abtronic, Danoz Direct, based out of Australia but did expand product placement to the U.S., claimed that The Abtronic could "flatten a person’s stomach once and for all" and through "just 10 minute uses of the Abtronic was the equivalent of up to 600 sit-ups". A lawsuit was filed against the company by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for its "electronic muscle stimulation device", on grounds of false and misleading claims. Duh. It was hard to believe how a Velcro vibrating belt couldn't "firm, tone and tighten your upper abs, lower abs and 'love handles', with no sweat".  As a result of the ACCC’s litigation, Danoz Direct provided the following undertaking to the court: "that it would withdraw the Abtronic from sale; that it would not sell the Abtronic in the future; that all existing stock of the Abtronic would be destroyed; and that it would not in the future sell a similar electronic muscle stimulation device."

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