October 26, 2009 Jesse McLean
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
The Walt Disney Company is offering a refund for all the Baby Einstein DVDs that didn't turn children into pint-sized brainiacs.
The company has agreed to reimburse Canadian and U.S. parents $15.99 per video through an extended return policy.
The move comes after years of campaigning by parents and education groups who denounced the videos' claims that they could improve the cognitive development of toddlers.
"The videos aren't education. Babies under the age of two don't gain anything from television," said Josh Golin, spokesperson for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.
Baby Einstein, founded in 1997, quickly became a major player in the electronic media market for babies and young children. Disney acquired the company in 2001.
The refund offer covers all videos purchased between June 5, 2004 and Sept. 4, 2009. The offer expires March 4.
In May 2006, the campaign complained to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, arguing that educational claims made by Disney in its packaging and on its website went against scientific research.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says no children under the age of two should watch any television.
As a result, Disney dropped the word "educational" from the product's marketing.
However, the campaign pushed the issue further, and last year, lawyers threatened a class-action lawsuit for deceptive practices unless Disney agreed to reimburse the full purchase.
According to the lawyers' letter, Baby Einstein's sold about $200 million (U.S.) worth of products a year.
"This is a huge victory," Golin said. "It's important that parent
