It is estimated that around 115 million tyres are sold in the EU each year. The new tyre labelling regulation came into force in November 2012, which is to clearly display each tyres individual detail. The details include things such as; the quality of the tyre, it’s fuel efficiency, noise volume and braking abilities in wet conditions.

The labelling system grades tyres from an A to a G based on:

• Wet Grip (safety)
• Rolling Resistance (fuel efficiency)
• Number of Decibels (DBS to display their rolling noise)

The labels are of a great advantage to consumers who can now compare tyres based on the clear information in place

- and choose the best performer, for their own requirements. The European Commission estimate that, due to tyres accounting for between 20% – 30% of a vehicle’s fuel consumption, if you select an A rated tyre for its energy efficiency then you could be saving around £200 per year in petrol costs. When you take into account the higher price of tyres in the A classification as oppose to those in the G the break-

even point is met within the second year of purchase, i.e. long before the end of life for higher quality tyres.

A survey carried out by French Automobile Club Association, within five major European countries. The findings were that 80% of consumers were in favour of the new tyre labelling system, and 85% said that they would be willing to pay a higher price for a tyre that displayed both increased safety and increased energy confirmation.

The main reason for the new tyre legislation is to coincide with the EU energy efficiency action plan, which aims to reduce the total energy consumption within the European Union by 20% by the year 2020.

Tyre labels and exceptions

Tyres that are; vintage, re-treaded, spares, studded, motorcycles, racing or that have

a speed rating of under 80 km/h do not have to have the labels affixed. However, all standard passenger cars, 4×4’s and vans do.

When choosing your tyres, it’s best to go for a supplier who can provide you with a range of quality tyres to suit your vehicle. Whilst there are many retailers of tyres, few go the extra mile to see what will suit your particular needs, and knowing how to choose the right one will ensure that you not only get better performance, but it could save you money in the long run too.

During the 83rd annual NTDA dinner, chairman Stephen Callow spoke out against part worn tyres, the impact EU tyre labeling will have on the industry and thoughts on the MOT proposal being scrapped.

Callow focused on three main areas during his speech at the Hilton Hotel, Deansgate with his primary focus being on part worn tyre sales and the fact it was “frightening and unacceptable”. Despite part worn tyre legislation being clear and concise  the key problem is that many retailers are simply ignoring regulations when it comes to selling part worn tyres which leaves the consumer in the dark. More and more surveys are taking part across the UK, with Trading Standards leading the pack, these surveys are uncovering alarming results Callow reported, with over 90% of part worns that were surveyed, being illegal.  Callow said that “we must bang the drum”, and encourage the media to help share the story of part worn tyres in the industry in order to warn motorists of the potential dangers. He went on to say, “The NTDA logo is our badge and it represents that, we as members go to great lengths to maintain standards and to be accountable for our actions, but all too often backstreet lock-up part worn tyre dealers are not [up to this standard].”

He continued that part worn tyre sales is the key issue that needs to be tackled not only by the NTDA but also tyre related organisations within the industry to ensure that the problem does not elevate further.

Callow went on to focus on the issue of EU tyre labeling, noting that despite it being considered as an inconvenience by some, it may in fact have a “silver lining”, noting that; “I am sure that this legislation will give us the opportunity of point of sale dialogue. I believe that, with the right information, the motorist will make the correct choice when purchasing their tyres resulting in a win-win scenario for us and the customer.”

Callow closed of saying that he was glad that the “ridiculous” MOT frequency change proposal that NTDA joined other industry bodies in lobbying against at last year’s dinner, has been scrapped:

“Even the most responsible motorists rely on the MOT for the safety standards of their vehicles, not fully appreciating that the MOT is “only at time of test” and does not guarantee the vehicles road worthiness for 12 months. We are engaged in a major review of the overall test and will ensure that the concerns of our members are put to the proper authorities.”

You can visit the NTDA website for more news here. 

From November 2012, an energy labeling system will be put in place across the EU. Similar to the current energy ratings on fridges, freezes and even homes, these ratings will be attached to all new tyres produced for passenger cars and light goods vehicles. This change will revolutionize the way in which both consumers and dealers buy their tyres, hopefully for the better.

We’ve put together a guide to cut out the jargon, and tell you what it all really means…

Why have the EU introduced new tyre labeling? 

In order to provide standardised information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise, the EU is introducing in November a compulsory label for all new tyres.

By November 2012 all relevant new tyres sold in Europe must carry this label.

The intention is to give users the essential information when choosing new tyres. For novices, it gives them information in a clear and practical way – meaning you can make an informed decision via the use of a simple graphic! Its been designed in a way to make tyres look a little more attractive to us everyday people. As a whole, we all should be a little more vigilant about tyre safety, and the implications it has to overall road safety. There’s the hope that this new tyre labeling will cut road accidents. Good news right?

How will tyres be tested? 

The best thing about the introduction will be that tyres will be driven on for thousands of miles, and this data then presented in a way that’s easy in interpret. Tyres will be driven in all weather conditions to ensure that they are safe, and test their performance.

Will premium tyres be immediately given an A rating? 

Surprisingly premium tyres will not be automatically given the highest ratings. Why? Because the three areas under the new labeling are very difficult to balance. This means you will need to choose your new tyres on the basis of what really suits your vehicle best, rather than price and brand.

Surely I should just buy the most fuel efficient tyres? 

That may seem like a good plan, especially with rocketing fuel prices! A-rated rubber could save you up to 7.5% in fuel costs over the life of the tyre, or 6 litres per 1000 km. But you must also consider that the wet grip grading needs to be high too, especially as from next November another bad winter is sure to set in. So when you purchase new tyres you must consider what suits your vehicle  and your driving style.

What we expect the new tyre labels to look like.

So we mentioned that tyres will be tested under three areas; fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise. 

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency is important to reduce both CO2 emissions and the cost of driving. The grades are A to G, with D not being used.

Each grade means a reduction or increase in fuel consumption of between 2.5%-4.5%. That’s a difference of about 0.42-0.56 mpg for a 36 mpg car per grade.

Wet Grip

Wet grip is a critical safety feature and relates to the tyres ability to stop a vehicle quickly on wet roads and can be expressed in terms of stopping distance. The grades are A to G, with D and G not being used. The difference between each grade means an increase or decrease in stopping distance of between one to two car lengths (between 3 and 6 metres) when braking from 50mph.

Rolling Noise

This is the external noise made by the tyre and is measured in decibels.
The more black bars shown on the label, the louder the tyre.