Power Balance wristbands promised to improve the wearer’s balance, strength and flexibility and were the must-have accessory for many a star and have been endorsed by such celebrities as Leonardo DiCaprio, P Diddy, Robert De Niro, Kate Middleton, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The company behind the £29.99 bracelet has now admitted that there is no scientific evidence behind the claims, and that they are in fact no more beneficial than an ordinary rubber band.
Power Balance was forced to make the admission by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the company is now offering refunds to customers in Australia who believe they were misled.
It will also be changing its website, packaging and advertising to reflect the new, more accurate, message and the company has been ordered to remove the words ‘performance technology’ from the band itself.
Although there is no scientific basis to the balance claims, many people do report that they work. This is more than likely a placebo effect whereby a belief that the band was working alone could actually help improve performance.
It is thought that around 2.5 million people have bought these miraculous wristbands.