Winter tyres campaign could benefit dealers

According to tyre industry professionals, the move would give retailers an extra revenue stream as well as making life safer for drivers in the colder months. The issue was discussed when National Tyre Distributors Association last week hosted a special meeting at the Aftermarket Show to discuss winter tyre possibilities. A successful industry advertising campaign in Holland has seen sales of the products soar nine-fold in recent years. Around 500,000 units are now sold in the Dutch market compared to 50,000 in 1997, highlighting how far perceptions of winter tyres have changed with drivers. NTDA director Richard Edy said: “Winter tyres have always been regarded as a niche market in the UK, unlike other northern European countries where they are firmly established, despite the weather not being that different from the UK. “Holland has a very similar climate to so there is every reason to believe that the UK motorists will be receptive to the same kind of messages that have worked so well over the past seven years.” Edy added: “In a highly competitive and mature market like the UK the prospect of increasing the overall market size by over 2 milion units cannot be ignored.” A spokeswoman for Dutch tyre manufacturer Vredestein reckoned motorists would welcome the benefits of winter tyres. She said: “We have been pushing this issue for years. “Winter tyres are certainly an opportunity but above all this about safety – they are effective at temperatures below 7 degrees centigrade making them excellent for drivers between the months of October and March.”