European Consumers Are More Familiar with Tyre Labelling, but Seldom Use It When Buying Tyres

Οne year after the introduction of tyre labelling, Rezulteo, the purchasing guide and tyre comparison website, wanted to find out whether European consumers were more familiar with the system and if their purchasing behaviour had changed.

The survey, conducted by the Ipsos Institute, shows that while tyre labelling has gained more awareness, it is still seldom taken into account by the consumer. To choose a brand or a tyre model, the buyer is still strongly influenced by the price and ultimately relies on the retailer’s recommendations. The work to educate consumers on tyre performances is therefore far from over. This is precisely what rezulteo-tyres.co.uk is striving to do with its network of websites, currently covering 20 countries in various regions (European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East).

One year ago, tyre labelling came into force in all European Union countries. On that occasion, rezulteo-tyres.co.uk, the purchasing guide and tyre comparison website, commissioned a survey from the Ipsos Institute on the awareness and perception of tyre labelling among European consumers. The results showed that, one month before its introduction, barely 20% of survey respondents had heard about labelling, but 80% were in favour once the principle was explained to them.

One year later, rezulteo-tyres.co.uk has repeated the exercise with two objectives: to see if drivers are now more familiar with tyre labelling and assess if tyre labelling has changed their behaviour when purchasing tyres. As in the previous year, the survey was conducted in early autumn among a representative sample of respondents in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK¹.

The results of the 2013 survey are mixed: They indicate that tyre labelling has increased awareness, but consumers seldom take the label into account, particularly in Germany and the UK. When choosing a brand or a tyre model, the buyer is  still strongly influenced by the  price and ultimately relies on  the retailer’s recommendations.

Looking at the survey in detail shows that one third of European consumers are now aware of labelling. This is better, but still relatively low. Furthermore,  consumers’  awareness  of  labelling  remains  superficial.  Barely 8% of respondents are able to quote the three labelling criteria – wet grip, rolling resistance and external rolling noise.

Of those consumers who have bought tyres since tyre labelling was introduced, it emerges that barely 11% have really paid attention to the label (6% in Germany, 19% in Italy). This figure is not due to a lack of clarity with regards to the system since three quarters of the respondents findthe label easy to understand. This can primarily be attributed to the fact that labelling criteria is not the only criteria that consumers take into account. When asked what influences their choice, the consumers mentioned the retailers’ advice (19%), brand  loyalty (17%) and price (17%) before tyre performances (14%).

Clearly, one year after the introduction of European tyre labelling, the mission to inform and educate consumers must continue, in order to improve the safety and environmental impact of vehicles by taking tyre performances into account more substantially. What is more, the aim to help drivers make better purchases as the tyre market continues to expand is another important aspect.

This is precisely what rezulteo-tyres.co.uk is striving to do with its network of websites, currently covering 20 countries across several regions of the world  (European Union, Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East).

¹Survey conducted by the IPSOS institute between 23/09 and 8/10 among a representative sample of 3,402 respondents in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

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