TIF: UK Tyre Replacement Market Over 34-35 million Units

The Tyre Industry Federation has announced that its estimates put the UK replacement car tyre market at well over 30 million units. The new figures, which include 4×4 and light van tyres, represent the first time an official estimate has been as high as 30 million units annually. The TIF data is based on figures contributed by the tyre manufacturer associations and the Tyre Wholesalers Group of the National Tyre Distributors Association. These indicate that sales into the UK market totalled 29.7 million units in 2007, before imports, retreads and part-worn tyres.

Reviewing these figures at a recent meeting the Federation’s Tyre Market Study Committee agreed that there was firm evidence to support the view that the size of the UK’s replacement car tyre market was in the range of 34-35 million units in 2007, larger than previously believed but consistent with the growth in the vehicle parc.

In 2007 the total number of cars and light vans on Britain’s roads was 34.752 million (SMMT figures), which indicates an annual tyre replacement factor of one tyre per vehicle per annum.