\n<\/p>\n
Athletic shoe company On is facing a lawsuit from US customers who claim that its popular sneakers make a “noisy and embarrassing squeak”.<\/b><\/p>\n
The “CloudTec” sneakers typically cost around $200 (\u00a3150) and have holes in the sole designed to make users feel like they are “running on clouds”. Instead, the lawsuit says, they cause issues in daily life – especially for nurses who wear them all day.<\/p>\n
“No reasonable consumer would purchase Defendant’s shoes – or pay as much for them as they did – knowing each step creates an audible and noticeable squeak,” the customers allege.<\/p>\n
The company, which did not immediately respond to a BBC inquiry, has declined to comment on the allegations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The class action lawsuit was filed on October 9 in US District Court in Oregon.<\/p>\n
The customers say that multiple On sneaker styles are unwearable without “significant DIY modifications”. They accused the company of “deceptive marketing”.<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs, who claim they were unable to return the shoes after complaining about the noise, are seeking refunds and other damages.<\/p>\n
The Switzerland-based sneaker company could have “fixed the design, and\/or offered to fix the shoes or [given] consumers their money back but did none of those things”, the complaint alleges, citing the Cloudmonster and Cloudrunner models, among others.<\/p>\n
One customer claimed in the complaint that she was “no longer able to use her shoes as intended due to the embarrassment and annoyance”.<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs in their complaint reference social media posts, on TikTok and Reddit, from other frustrated customers who have suggested at-home remedies for the noise – including applying coconut oil to the soles of the shoes.<\/p>\n
On, which is backed by the tennis player Roger Federer, reported better-than-expected earnings in August. Its quarterly revenue was boosted by direct-to-consumer sales. <\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the company said sales of its Cloudmonster and Cloudsurfer sneaker models contributed “significantly” to its growth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n