The labels have been introduced to help fleet managers, maintenance companies and the general public to make informed decisions about the quality of tyres they buy. The new labels, part of EU regulations, will apply to all tyres manufactured after July 2012 and on sale after November 2012, regardless of date of manufacture.

The information displayed on the label will show wet grip, rolling resistance (fuel efficiency) and noise. The wet grip and rolling resistance ratings will be displayed as coloured bands from A-G, A being the best and G being the worst. External noise will be measured in decibels and split into three categories represented by black sound waves – with one sound-wave representing the quietest tyres and three representing the noisiest.