UK tyre buyers switch from mid-range to budget brands

ERJ staff report (DS)

Solihull, UK -- Data presented by Michelin shows that UK car tyre buyers are moving downmarket, but premium tyres are less affected than mid-range brands.

Darren Lindsey, Michelin's sales manager for UK car and van tyres presented data showing that in May 2010 the UK car tyre market divided into three segments. Premium brand tyres took 47.2 percent; mid-range brands took 18.8 percent, while budget brands took 34 percent of the total.

That compares with the same data in January 2010, when the split was premium: 47.1 percentl mid-range 23.7 percent and budget 31.2 percent.

In 2008 the equivalent figures were premium: 48.5 percent; mid-range 23.3 percent and budget: 28.5 percent.