Obligatory tyre labelling on fuel, noise and safety a step closer

In an agreement that could by-pass the need for national legislation and become law directly, the MEPs on the committee said all retailers should be obliged to show ‘fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise classes’ in any technical promotional literature for tyres to be fitted to passenger cars, light and heavy duty vehicles.

Labels similar to the European energy coloured bar-chart would have to be clearly displayed wherever tyres are sold, and MEPs said the information should also be printed on receipts and stamped onto the side of tyres.

T&E policy officer Nina Renshaw said: ‘In the past, buying tyres has been a confusing and frustrating exercise. There was no official information for consumers to compare which of the thousands of different models really save money or offer better grip. This should mean real savings in fuel costs and CO₂ emissions.’

MEPs also called for an EU-wide website for tyre buyers to compare different types of tyre and calculate their potential fuel savings.

The legislation still has to be ratified by ministers.

T&E has also been calling for stricter noise and fuel efficiency standards for tyre makers, as better tyres are technically feasible but EU requirements for tyres have not kept pace with technological advances.