個案資料

On April 17, 2021, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released an “urgent” warning to consumers regarding the Peloton Tread+ after thirty-nine incidents had been reported related to the treadmill in which children and pets were injured. The treadmill was sold by Peloton Interactive Inc. (Peloton), a US company that sold fitness equipment such as exercise bikes and treadmills, as well as on-demand fitness classes. According to the CPSC, the accidents could have happened as a result of design flaws in the Peloton Tread+, including the height of the treadmill, which allowed a small child or pet to crawl underneath. The CPSC requested that Peloton recall the product but Peloton refused, claiming that there were no safety issues with the product and that users had failed to follow proper instructions. Industry experts suggested that Peloton was not wise to hold consumers responsible for misuse, and some consumers filed lawsuits against Peloton. The company had to decide whether to reconsider the decision to not issue a recall and determine how to avoid similar incidents in the future.

The case is intended for courses on product management, marketing management, business law, or public policy at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The case deals with issues associated with product recalls, especially when the cause of injury may be attributed to product design or to the user not following proper safety instructions. After working through the case and assignment questions, students will be able to<ul><li>critically analyze sources of product related injuries;</li><li>evaluate if a company should recall a product, even if it believes the fault is not with the product;</li><li>analyze issues of product liability; and</li><li>evaluate strategies to avoid a product recall.</li></ul>

• product recall
• product liability
• product safety