(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) There has been mixed reaction to the Public Authority for Consumer Protection's (PACP) decision to ban the sale, marketing, display and distribution of used tyres of all sizes from June 15.
While authorities say the number of accidents will reduce, traders fear loss of business. Customers, on their part, feel tyre costs will rise.
On April 16, Dr Said bin Khamis al Kaabi, chairman of PACP, issued the decision that bans sale and distribution of car, bus and light vehicle tyres that have completed 24 months since the date of manufacture. It also bans heavy vehicle tyres that are 30 months old.
''PACP will penalise those violating the new norms, and we call upon citizens and residents not to buy such tyres,'' Kaabi said. The PACP chief said that the authority wants to ensure safety of consumers at a time when there has been a significant increase in the number of road accidents due to used and expired tyres. ''This decision will reduce the accidents that have been taking a heavy toll, and the desired results will be achieved with cooperation of the entire community through awareness,'' he said.
According to the decision, the dealer should provide a minimum one-year warranty period from the date of sale of tyres in new and used cars. The purchase invoice should show the country of origin, date of production, type, heat capacity, size, weight, diameter, speed rating and maximum inflation pressure.
However, traders of used tyres say the decision will affect business. ''We have only about a month and a half to wrap up our used tyres businesses. The decision will not only negatively impact traders, but also those customers who can buy used tyres that are in good condition for less,'' said a trader requesting anonymity.
Buyers feel the ban will further hike prices of new tyres. ''The ban will lead to shutting down of many shops that sell used tyres. Those that will switch to selling new tyres may increase the prices to cover their losses. Authorities need to check rise in prices of new tyres,'' Hamdoon al Farsi, a private sector employee, said. Col Ahmed bin Sultan al Nabhani, assistant director general of traffic, said, ''We hope that authorities intensify control over tyre manufacturing factories and shops that sell used tyres.'' According to him, the number of accidents triggered by faulty vehicles including over-used tyres stood at 285 from 2013 to April this year, leading to 72 deaths and 303 cases of injuries.&
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