New EU Tyre Labelling Launched In The UK: November 2012 |
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Samuel White
31 October 2012
The EU tyre label will seem like a completely new concept when both tyre fitters and tyre buyers start to notice, that as of November 2012 all new tyres sold will have a new brightly coloured label very similar to what you would see on electrical appliances in the EU.
These labels are designed with the consumer in mind, although there has been very little media coverage on the matter it is likely to be the biggest overhaul of the tyre industry since, well since the invention of the wheel.
So what is tyre labelling? It is an EU directive that that is focussing on 3 categories in which tyres are required to be classified for their performance. Tyres aren't a one for all solution are there can be serious safety implications if a driver were to have tyres with varying performance levels. So with safety in mind the EU will now rate all tyres on Fuel Efficiency, Wet Grip and External Noise. These 3 factors are important not just for safety but the correct tyre choice can save any motorist money on fuel and ware. With that comes a positive impact on the environment as the wrong choice of tyres can mean wasted fuel and wasted fuel only harms the air around us.
This change is one that will have a huge impact on the industry as a whole. Every Tyre distributor, Tyre manufacturer, Retailer and Local MOT Service Centres will have to be in compliance and hold some knowledge on the new EU Tyre Labelling Legislation. From the top down this will ensure that the manufacturers are testing the tyres exactly as they should be and will surely see some new questions being posed of tyre retailers and local garages. I think it would be safe to say that any local garage that embraces this change and gains the knowledge required for this change is likely to put themselves in a position of strength over their competitors.
The biggest winner here is the consumer as for the first this will open up a whole new potential experience for the customer, with on-line tyre ordering solutions now appearing from both local and national companies on the world wide web. The latest Tyre Trade On-line News report suggests that on-line buying of tyres stands at just 3% of the market share and with developments such as this you would expect to see on-line users making more of an informed decision when they purchase their tyres and arrange their fitting on-line with a local tyre fitter.
It is likely that there are some of the new labels in circulation just now so keep your eyes peeled for them and be sure to make the correct choice for your vehicle and ultimately you and your passenger's safety.