BTMA welcomes change to tyre labelling enforcement powers

The British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association has welcomed new legislation to enforce the tyre labelling regulation from 1 January using civil sanctions. The Department for Transport (DfT) appointed the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Compliance Unit as enforcement authority earlier in 2020, replacing the National Measurement Office. To date, the DfT has conducted 68 “mystery shopper” visits, finding 78 per cent of tyre retailers were not compliant with the requirement to provide the labelling information.

The BTMA stated that the industry has long argued that criminal sanctions are an inappropriate response and have strongly defended the case for civil sanctions.  It argues that these can be both more proportionate and more effective, focusing on remedying the wrong rather than punishing it.

Karl Naylor, BTMA chairman said: “Consumer information about tyre performance is gaining recognition for its potential contribution to reducing environmental impact and improving road safety. It may be an uphill journey in a price-focused market, but we must all play our part in bringing about the necessary changes in consumer behaviour.”

The Tyre Industry Federation produced a document detailing tyre suppliers and distributors’ obligations on tyre labelling – click here to download the PDF.

The news comes in a year that has seen a number of updates to tyre legislation. Indeed, BTMA chief executive Graham Willson recently gave a detailed presentation relating to tyre standards and labelling legislation as part of November’s virtual Tyre Industry Conference. Watch the video below and peruse the following links to find out more.