After Death of a Child, Peloton Recalls Its Treadmills

In a major reversal after pushing against this very outcome, Peloton is recalling its treadmills after one child died and 29 other children suffered from cuts, broken bones, and other injuries from being pulled under the rear of the treadmill. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday that Peloton received 72 reports of adults, kids, pets, or other items, such as exercise balls, being pulled under the treadmill. The recall comes after the safety commission warned last month that people with children or pets should immediately stop using Peloton treadmills, posting a video on YouTube of a child being pulled under the treadmill. CNBC reports that, per the CPSC, the Peloton design is an atypical one that replaces a continuous belt with a belt design featuring "individual rigid rubberized slats or treads that are interlocked and ride on a rail."

The Washington Post reports that Peloton CEO John Foley last month said the company had "no intention" of moving forward with a recall, but it now notes that "stance proved untenable" as a public clamor increased and the stock price sagged 16% over the last month. Foley had changed his tune by Wednesday: "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." The company's shares dropped 10% on the news, per Yahoo Finance. Peloton is best known for its stationary bikes, but it introduced the treadmill about three years ago. It costs more than $4,200. Those who own one can get a full refund from Peloton by Nov. 6, 2022, reports the AP. (More Peloton stories.)