Overview

• An eBay-commissioned survey reports 47% of UK motorists have no knowledge of what EU tyre labels mean.
• Two in three respondents failed to correctly recognise safety symbols on the labels, which have been mandatory on new tyres since 2012.
• The study found 66% did not know the labels’ purpose, with the icy-conditions icon misunderstood by 92% of participants.
• Buying behaviour skews toward advice from garages, with 61% not checking labels and 74% relying mainly on mechanic recommendations.
• The RAC reiterates that labels rate wet grip, fuel efficiency and external noise, while eBay promotes listings that display this information via its tyre fitment tool.