To purchase new tires for a car, vehicle owners in Latvia will soon have to open their wallets wider - with the introduction of the anti-dumping duty, Chinese tires will no longer be available at budget prices. Prices are likely to rise for tires produced in other countries as well.
Prices Have Already Increased
According to Inter Cars Latvija, the European Commission began preparing anti-dumping procedures regarding tires produced in China, imported for trade in Europe, as early as 2025. This procedure officially started in May of last year; however, in practice, the new anti-dumping duty on Chinese tires may be introduced in July of this year, possibly with retroactive legal effect for three months.
"When the anti-dumping duty is imposed, the price increase will definitely be noticeable. Firstly, the tires produced in China will become more expensive," say the company's experts.
But the changes in the market will not stop there. If currently, the profits of European manufacturers are decreasing due to the influence of cheap Chinese products, and after the introduction of the anti-dumping duty, Chinese tires become about a third more expensive, Europeans may feel the urge to compensate for lost profits and also raise their prices.
Experts explain that currently, the price increase for tires is already 3–5%, but making long-term forecasts is impossible. The conflict in Iran and the spike in oil prices will affect all tire manufacturers and product prices. For example, by-products from oil processing are used in rubber production.
In Latvia, Price Remains the Main Factor in Choice
Currently, the tire market in Latvia can be conditionally divided into four segments - premium, mid-range, economy, and budget.
There are currently no official data that accurately show what percentage of tires sold in Latvia are of Chinese origin and what percentage comes from other countries. However, the budget segment of tires is dominant in Latvia, accounting for approximately 60% of the total market share.
