New EU tyre labels regulations came into force on November 1st. The news labels are designed to allow consumers to buy their new tyres with improved information on issues such as fuel efficiency, road noise and grip levels on wet roads. The tyre labels are similar to the labelling already in use for household goods such as washing machines and dishwashers.

The new labels measure wet grip using a ranking system that ranges from A to G, with A being best performing and G the worst. Vehicles with tyres from Class A stop in the shortest distance from 50mph, whilst tyres from Class B take an additional 3-6 metres. For wet braking Categories D and G are not used so any tyre with longer stopping distances in the wet will be rated as E or F.

One of the forces influencing the fuel efficiency of a car is the rolling resistance of the tyres. A tyre from Class C will use 1 litre more fuel than that of a tyre from Class B over a journey of 625 miles. Under the new labelling Class A tyres are most fuel efficient and class C the least.

The new labels split tyres into three sound categories, based on the noise they produce in reference to new EU regulations, to be introduced in 2016. One black sound wave means least noise produced, already compliant with the future tighter EU limit, two black sound waves means compliant with the future EU limit, while three black sound waves means currently compliant only.

It is up to the tyre seller to ensure that each tyre carries the label sticker in a clearly visible position, or, before the sale of the tyre, the label information will be shown to the end user, and a label must be clearly displayed in the immediate proximity of the tyre.