The IAAF has called on the UK government, and the Department for Transport (DfT), to update current sector-specific legislation, or risk damaging the aftermarket, reducing customer choice, and increasing the cost of mobility.
The federation has written to the DfT to highlight the aftermarket’s contribution to the UK economy. The sector generates more than 60% of the country’s £93 billion automotive market turnover, and consists of around 40,000 businesses, employing more than 345,000 skilled people.
Additionally, more than 75% of all vehicle service, repair and maintenance work is carried out by the independent automotive aftermarket.
“The IAAF is committed to fighting for sector-specific legislation that protects the industry’s right to repair and ensures fair competition,” stated Mark Field, Chief Executive of the IAAF. “The automotive aftermarket must remain competitive and accessible to UK drivers, offering an alternative to potentially higher-priced vehicle manufacturer-specific services.”
Current legislation not enough says IAAF
Currently, two legislative pillars support the ability of the UK independent aftermarket to offer vehicle owners and operators competitive choices for the repair and maintenance of their vehicles. These are:
- Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order (MV-BEO – 2023 No. 586, under the Competition Act 1998 – DBT)
- Vehicle Type Approval Regulation (EU) 2018/858 – DfT
These two pieces of legislation currently provide the key principles and technical requirements needed to ensure there is no discrimination between authorised repairers, often main dealerships, and independent operators.
However, with new vehicle technologies on the increase, the IAAF believes these pieces of legislation are no longer sufficient. Such technology is being used by carmakers to distort the market, reducing consumer choice and increasing costs.
In addition, other legislation, such as the Data (Use and Access) Act 2028, is being cited incorrectly as a reason why critical service and repair information cannot be shared with parts of the aftermarket sector, to the detriment of effective competition.vThe principal beneficiaries of this situation are typically non-UK vehicle manufacturers.
Freedom to choose
A recent IAAF survey of motorists reveals widespread support among UK drivers for the freedom to choose where their vehicles are serviced and repaired, highlighting the need for sector-specific legislation within the automotive aftermarket.
The research included responses from 1,042 UK drivers and found that 82% believe they should have the right to select their preferred service provider for vehicle servicing, repair and maintenance.
Further findings revealed that 82% of participants support government action to update legislation and protect consumer choice in the automotive repair market.
