McDonald's pulls fitness bands from Happy Meals
Oak Brook-based McDonald's said it stopped giving away activity trackers in Happy Meals in the United States and Canada due to complaints of skin irritation, according to a report in AdAge.
"We are voluntarily removing the Step It! Activity Band Happy Meal toys in our restaurants in our United States and Canadian markets," McDonald's said in a statement to AdAge. "It will no longer be offered as part of our Happy Meals. We have taken this swift and voluntary step after receiving limited reports of potential skin irritations that may be associated from wearing the band," McDonald's said in a statement Wednesday. "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our customers and we are fully investigating this issue. Our restaurants are now offering our youngest guests an alternative Happy Meal toy."
The item is a brightly colored wristband worn like a watch that keeps track of movement instead of time. The square shape of the face, to some, resembled the shape of an Apple watch. In one version, a light blinks faster when the person wearing it moves around. Another appears to count steps and other movement on a small screen. The name "STEP-iT" appears on both versions, AdAge said.