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EU rolls out tyre labelling

A new European Union regulation (1222/2009) will be implemented in November 2012 requiring all new tyres sold in Europe to be classified and labelled for fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise performance.

The idea is to ensure that all new tyres are labelled with clear ratings and aims to provide buyers with relevant information on tyre quality.

The EU directive known as "tyre labelling" is the biggest change to the industry and the way tyres are sold for more than 50 years.

BEST TO WORST RATING

The labelling will be similar to that required for household appliances and potential buyers will be able to compare tyre characteristics before making a purchase. Like the European energy label, the tyre label will use classes ranging from best-performance (a green A) to worst (red G).

Besides indicating how much the tyre affects the vehicle's fuel efficiency, it will also provide information about its performance in wet conditions and rolling noise.

Andy Mair, head of engineering at the British Freight Transport Association, said: “The new tyre labelling requirements are likely to have more of an effect on driver of passenger cars rather than commercial vehicle operators.

"The road transport sector in recent years has seen an increasingly focused approach on tyre selection and maintenance, and commercial fleet managers are well ahead of the game when it comes to specifying tyres for commercial vehicles.

“The labelling regulations do of course provide valuable like-for-like guidance which will enable buyers to see at a glance the specification of a particular tyre which should help inform purchasing decisions.”

The labels will not be mandatory on type C3 tyres (heavy commercial) but the information should still be available in another format from tyre manufacturers.


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