Encircle: average UHP tyre prices slightly increasing

Data collected by Encircle Marketing over the 12 months between May 2010 and April 2011 suggests that the market for passenger car tyres is stable, with prices marginally up over the duration of the period. Premium brand tyres averaged £93.92 in April against £90.50 in May 2010, while the upper budget (£54.54 in April), lower budget (£50.12) and mid-range (£68.51) all experienced similar average price increases in the period. Both the premium and upper budget segments’ average prices saw a slight dip in October 2010, interrupting an otherwise slowly upwards incline.

Average prices by popular sizes surveyed by Encircle remained relatively static too, though two of the largest three sizes tracked ended the 12-month period priced slightly lower than at the start: the average 205/55R16 W (91) price at the end of the period averaging £70.05 having started in May 2010 at £71.23 and reaching a high of £73.92 in December.

225/40R18 Y XL (92) also ended the period down at £111.02, having started at £112.02, though it dipped in November to only £107.76. The average price of the size 225/45R17 Y (91) fluctuated a good deal during the period, having started at £98.69 in May 2010 and ended at £100.65; it experienced a high of £108.69 in January.

The average price of high performance tyres by speed rating – defined as those rated W, Y or Z – ended the period on £97.30, having started at £96.91, with very little fluctuation throughout the year, while the runflat version of this speed-rating increased in price to £239.13 from £231.90.

The most notable passenger tyre statistic from the analysis of the fully inclusive average price was an increase in the prices charged by car dealers, making tyres bought there the most expensive of all surveyed channels at the end of the period – rising above national fast-fitters at the top end of the average price list, averaging £91.04 and £90.76 respectively.

At the end averaging the cheapest channels through which to buy tyres, prices at local independents increased by around £9, while pure internet sales ended the period cheapest on average at £74.78; an increase of around £4. In the middle, prices at regional independents and autocentres saw the least divergence from the beginning to the end of the period.

In terms of premium brands, all of the top six brands surveyed by Encircle – Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli – retained their relative price position. Michelin averaged a price of £102.38 at the top end of the scale, while Goodyear was the overall cheapest at £83.32.

Average brand prices at fast-fitters experienced more variation, though April saw Michelin the most expensive and Goodyear the least. The most interesting mover in terms of price at fast-fitters was Continental, which was the second most expensive brand in May 2010 at £106.88, ending the period in April at £96.33.