Tyre Labelling In the EU: Part 4 of 5 - How will labelling affect consumers' buying habits?

How will labelling affect consumers' buying habits?

The regulations for the labelling of tyres will only come into force in November 2012, and it is unknown at this stage quite how the legislation will affect consumers buying habits. What is evident is that the consumer now has much more of an insight into the quality and performance of a tyre, and access to much more detailed information regarding fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise. It is the intention of the EU, and the aim of the regulations, that the extra information will encourage consumers to look for more energy efficient tyres, thus reducing fuel consumption and overall carbon emissions. It is also hoped that consumers will opt for tyres with better wet braking properties and in turn help to improve road safety by doing so.

Raising consumer awareness will be a key to the success of the tyre labelling system, as the majority of road users base the decision to purchase new tyres on cost, rather than any other factors. If the EU intends to encourage consumers to choose better quality tyres for the sake of improved fuel efficiency, there must be compelling reasons for the consumer to do so.


This article is part of our series on tyre labelling


[eventpdf]