The Impact of Competition Law on the Car Parts Sector

LONDON, September 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Law naturally finds its way into all industries and sectors and the car repair industry is no different. Mechanics up and down the country are affected by changes that occur in the field of business law at large, as well as smaller changes that relate specifically to vehicle repair and to the use of car parts.

Recent changes to competition law in the automotive sector have targeted maintenance and repair in particular and although the changes are not drastic, there are certain things that those operating in the industry need to know.

For instance, there is new legislation relating to car parts. Vehicle manufacturers tend to have a number of authorised repairers who store and use parts for the models they produce. Competition law now states that, in order to ensure independents have access to alternative parts, those authorised repairers should not be discouraged from carrying alternatives because of strategies employed by manufacturers.

The aim is to reduce the influence manufacturers have on the retail and use of parts in vehicle repairs - an area where competition could diminish without the new legal framework. As such, it is up to authorised repairers to choose whether they sell captive car parts to independent repairers or not.

Car parts retailer Euro Car Parts is an organisation dealing extensively in high quality components for a wide range of makes and models online and it champions an approach to competition in the sector that delivers the best deal to end-users - in this case Britain's motorists, many of whom visit http://www.eurocarparts.com themselves in order to find parts independently.

The site is also used by mechanics and private service and repair companies because it offers a varied assortment of components for a large range of vehicles. The choice on offer stands as a testament to the health of competition in the sector, given the number of captive products and alternative brands available to shoppers and end-users.