Athletic shoe company On is facing a lawsuit from customers who claim that its popular sneakers make a “noisy and embarrassing squeak”.
The “CloudTec” sneakers typically cost around $200 (£150) 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.
“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.
The company, which did not immediately respond to a BBC enquiry, has declined to comment on the allegations.
The class action lawsuit was filed on October 9 in US District Court in Oregon.
The customers say that multiple On sneaker styles are unwearable without “significant DIY modifications”. They accused the company of “deceptive marketing”.
The plaintiffs, who claim they were unable to return the shoes after complaining about the noise, are seeking refunds and other damages.
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.
One customer claimed in the complaint that she was “no longer able to use her shoes as intended due to the embarrassment and annoyance”.
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.
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.
Earlier this year, the company said sales of its Cloudmonster and Cloudsurfer sneaker models contributed “significantly” to its growth.
