Data released by the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association has revealed that the UK is one of the best performing countries in Europe in the recycling of used tyres.
In the UK the ETRMA figures show that 98% of all used tyres were recovered in 2010. The figures show that the UK recycles 2% more of its used tyres than the European average of 96% which is excellent news for the environment here in Britain.
The UK operates under a free market end of life tyre management scheme, whilst other European countries have adopted different strategies, including both tax based and manufacturer’s responsibilty models in order to deal with the growing problem of used tyre casings. The manufacturer based model requires tyre makers to pick up 1 used tyre for every new tyre they sell in order to create a balanced system.
The results clearly indicate that the free market system in the UK performs well, with independent tyre recycling firms and casing buyers collecting and selling the majority of commercially viable casings, whilst a number of uses are found for those which hold no resale value within the tyre industry itself.
Over the last week or so there has been a huge shock to the system for drivers across the UK. And what is this huge shock I hear you ask (if you hadn’t already inferred it from the title)? Fuel prices are falling!
In fact in just a matter of hours the major supermarkets were embroiled in a price war with prices falling by around 3p per litre on both petrol and diesel. Both Tesco and Morrisons dropped their price almost immediately, with other major retailers following suit. Asda has even gone as far as to lower its prices by a further 0.2p in a clever move which means that drivers save an extra few pence a tank when compared to filling up with a rival. They claim that none of their customers will expect to pay higher than 130.7p per litre across the country for standard unleaded.
This excellent news for all fleets has been brought about after the shock decision by the International Energy Agency to release emergency oil stocks in the leading consumer nations in the West. This decision, only the 3rd of its kind in the history of the agency released 60 million barrels of oil stock, held by governments in the west, over a 30 day period.
The effects of the release were felt across the markets, with world oil prices slumping by 6% within hours of the move being announced.
Fuel prices however are certainly still nowhere near levels which would be deemed ‘cheap’ or ‘good value’ but this temporary reprieve is more than welcome for most if not all vehicle operators. However, to make the most of this drop in price and squeeze as much value as you can out of a tank, make sure you check your tyre pressures!
Recently released data covering the last twelve months from April 2010 have highlighed an increase in the market share held by budget tyre brands here in the UK.
This data, which is based on the first line brands recommended by tyre dealers across the UK has highlighted a shift in the market, which has seen brands driven by value become more popular whilst premium brands driven by performance have become less so.
The shift in operations by tyre dealers across the country only goes to show the change in customer values overall, but also the need to change tactics in order to bring those customers through the door and win their business.
Meanwhile the mid range brand sector has remained relatively stable, attracting those consumers who want a mixture of both value and quality, although it did see a slight dip in the study in early 2011.
However, other recent studies have shown that tyre prices in the car market are much more stable that those in the commercial sector with rises averaging at only a couple of pounds per tyre across the board, compared with the huge percentage increases seen in the commercial tyre market. This would suggest that it is not necessarily the cost of the tyre itself which is pulling consumers away from premium brands but the actual cost of living in general.
With rising taxes and prices of goods, and a stagnant jobs market with wages failing to keep up with inflation people are obviously feeling the pinch and legal tyres are now becoming for a larger number of people nothing more than a necessity to keep your vehicle on the road, and the cheaper the better as people sacrifice performance for pennies.
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