The aim of the EU Tyre Label is to inform EU consumers better about the safety and environmental characteristics of a given tyre. The Tyre Label should actively support consumers in choosing new tyres.
Like every regulation of the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers, Regulation No. 1222/2009 is binding and identical in all EU member states.
The tyre manufacturers themselves certify their tyres according to the specified criteria of the EU Tyre Label This includes each individual tyre model and size to be tested, classified and then certified.
The classification of passenger car, light truck and truck tyres must be documented in the tyre manufacturer's brochures and reports but also published online. The consumer should be informed about the performance data of a tyre before purchasing it, but the information should also be displayed on or attached to the purchase invoice given to the consumer or end-user of the tyre.
Yourtyres.co.uk displays the EU Tyre Label classification information of a specific tyre on the respective detailed information page. The classification is done at a product level, i.e. each product has its label. Besides, the corresponding details are sent on or together with the purchase invoice.
The EU Tyre Label informs the consumer about three important criteria of a tyre: rolling resistance, wet grip and noise emissions. Tyres designed for heavy snow conditions feature the "3 Peaks and Snow" or "Alpine" symbol on their sidewall. Nordic winter tyres for use on icy surfaces carry a new symbol representing an ice stalagmite. But also other important properties are relevant to safety and should be taken into account when choosing new tyres, including aquaplaning properties, road grip, life expectancy and durability, steering precision, mileage, braking properties on dry and wet roads, as well as performance in winter conditions.
Manufacturers point out that the EU Tyre Label should not be considered as a substitute for further, more in-depth information that can be obtained from scientific sources such as tyre tests and journals. The Tyre Label can sometimes only give a limited overview of a tyre's performance, especially about winter tyres, as no form of performance in winter conditions is shown on the label.
Tyre tests conducted by automotive journals remain one of the most important and meaningful sources of information about a tyre's performance for the end consumer, as they often test up to 11 other safety-related tyre properties, compared to the three indicated on the tyre label.
At www.tyretest.com you will find a large international and independent consumer platform for tyre evaluation, where regular drivers have tested their tyres under normal driving conditions and given their ratings.
You can find more information about the EU Tyre Label on the following site:
https://ec.europa.eu/info/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/energy-label-and-ecodesign/energy-efficient-products/tyres_en
You can also find more information about the Tyre Label on your tyre manufacturer's website.