Tyre retailers risking customers’ lives and those of other road users by falsely claiming to sell, repair or fit treads to industry standards will be hunted down and could be prosecuted with the risk of a fine or up to two years in prison.

The National Tyre Distributors Association says it is taking action against numerous tyre retailers who are falsely claiming to be members of the Association, displaying the NTDA logo on their vehicles, websites and in their marketing or who are advertising that repair work is carried out to the NTDA standard. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 specifically ban businesses from displaying any form of trust mark, quality mark or equivalent collective mark if they are not authorised to do so. They also ban any form of claim that a business, or their service, has been approved, authorised or endorsed by a public or private body when it hasn’t. Stefan Hay, NTDA Chief Executive, said: “We have been staggered by the blatant abuse of the logo and the associated claims being made by unscrupulous tyre retailers. Incidents range from companies using the logo on their vans and websites, (including use of the NTDA Tyre Industry Awards logo inferring companies have achieved a level of excellence), to eBay traders claiming that their part worn tyres are repaired to the NTDA standard, a standard, which of course does not exist. “We have commenced action against a number of retailers. In the first instance we have sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter to all the companies that have breached the CPRs giving them 7 working days to confirm, in writing, that they have removed the NTDA and associated logos and all other reference to the NTDA from their premises, vehicles, marketing collateral, advertising and online trading portals. We hope that we will not have to further escalate matters but will not hesitate to report these companies to Trading Standards with a view to pursuing full prosecution. We will not tolerate such companies bringing the NTDA and its legitimate members in to disrepute.”