All tyres which are made and manufactured in the European Community from the 1/11/2012 will have to be labelled.

This is a big improvement as it will enable members of the public to be able to make informed choices about the tyres they buy and compare value for money.

The labels will look very similar to the ones that are currently used on white goods such as fridges and freezers. but instead of showing energy efficiency they will show information relevant to motoring.

The new tyre labels will encourage consumers to think about a compare rates of fuel economy with a specific tyre being scored from A being the most efficient to G being the least fuel efficient.

The difference between an A rated and a G rated tyre could mean as much as eighty litres of fuel during the tyres lifetime. 

You will as a member of the public also be able to visualise and compare braking distance performance in wet conditions. Again an A rated tyre has the shortest breaking distance and a G rated the longest. Driving at just fifty miles per hour that could mean a difference in braking performance of up to eighteen meters.

The EU labelling is good new as it will make choosing and buying a tyre less of a guess and more based around statistical information. But braking and economy are not the only aspects that the new system will provide data on as you will now be able to compare noise levels.

We know that tyres made from softer rubber and synthetic rubber compounds tend to be quieter but the also tend to wear out quicker. The new wave illustration adopted by the tyre industry will at a glance give an indication as to the tyres audible noise levels with one wave being the most quiet and three being the noisiest.