Russian tire prices in early 2023: how the market behaved
According to Rosstat, passenger car tire prices rose by 23.5 percent in the initial part of 2023. This increase outpaced the official inflation rate, which stood at 11.94 percent, highlighting a period of sharper price growth for tires than the broader consumer basket. The rise affected both imported tires and domestically produced options, reflecting a wide mix of supply and demand dynamics across brands and origins.
As the winter season progressed and demand for winter tires softened, price movements diverged between imported and domestic lines. Domestic brands saw price declines for some models, while imported tires generally maintained or elevated their price points. For instance, an 18-inch Cordiant Snow Cross 2 tire was priced at 7,866 rubles, representing a year-over-year decrease of about 7 percent. This example underscores how domestic brands could perform differently from foreign ones as the season shifted.
It is important to note that this assessment excludes any mention of external political or regulatory factors and focuses on observable market data from the period. In the broader context, summer tires from Russian and Chinese manufacturers did not experience price increases as steeply as European, Japanese, Korean, and American brands. Consequently, demand patterns shifted, with Russian brands showing notable gains in market share: Kama sales grew more than twofold, while Viatti expanded by roughly 68 percent year over year.
Looking ahead to 2023, experts anticipated a slower pace of price growth and expected the market to avoid shortages. The production of mass-market tires in Russia continued to perform well, and Chinese manufacturers were projected to increase their market presence, supported by ongoing capacity and cost advantages. These projections reflected a balancing act between sustaining supply chains and responding to evolving demand from both retail and fleet customers.
In some cases, dealers had overcorrected during the buildup to winter, overestimating the consequences of removing certain brands from inventory. As a result, Chinese-made winter tires remained in stock in some warehouses, contributing to a nuanced picture of pricing and availability. The market also faced challenges with rare tire sizes, which proved harder to source and carried higher prices relative to more common dimensions. This created a situation where price dispersion existed across sizes, with consumers facing higher costs for less common configurations.
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Autonews.ru provided the data that informed these observations, offering a snapshot of the tire market during that period. The report highlights how cost, supply chains, and brand mix interacted to shape consumer prices and buying behavior across Russia and neighboring markets.