Insight 17 www.aftermarketonline.net SEPTEMBER 2025 In 2013, a clear issue arose in the UK lubricants industry. Reputable lubricant producers could see companies making claims that were simply unrealistic, like mutually exclusive claims. Either these companies didn’t understand the claims they were making, or they were intentionally attempting to gain a market advantage by increasing the number of claims made beyond those that could reasonably be supported. Market standards, like OEM specifications and the ACEA engine oil sequences existed, but no one was policing them. This disadvantaged responsible manufacturers and put end users at risk of buying products that couldn’t deliver what they claimed. A few lubricant companies had tried approaching UK Trading Standards for help, but they didn’t have the technical expertise or resources to investigate or take action. The United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA) realised there was an issue and decided to act. This wasn’t about naming and shaming the companies involved, but about encouraging compliance, educating the end user and ensuring a level playing field for the benefit of end users. So, a new organisation was created as a subsidiary of UKLA — VLS. Since 2013, VLS has investigated over 130 cases. Most have been related to passenger vehicle engine oils, which comprise a significant share of the overall lubricants market. However, there has been a recent rise in the number of cases involving commercial vehicle engine oil and automotive hydraulic f luids. Non-compliance with stated specifications is the most frequent cause of complaint, but conflicting or unevidenced OEM approvals, noncompliance with industry standards and low temperature properties have all seen an increase in complaints recently. It is vital that any end user can be confident that a product is accurately described and can deliver what it claims. Once accepted, every case is anonymised and reviewed by VLS’s independent Technical Review Panel, made up of industry experts who donate their time to support the industry. Without their expertise and VLS’ robust, anonymous process, it would not have the skills and resources required to adequately investigate products and assist lubricant marketers in bringing products into compliance. In many cases, products have been reformulated to bring them into compliance. However, several cases have been referred to Trading Standards due to non-compliance, and public safety warnings have been issued where there were significant public safety concerns. When VLS was first formed, there was clearly a lack of understanding in some areas of the marketplace. Twelve years later, VLS is confident that the message around compliance is being heard. However, the significant rise in cases over the past two years and the complexity of those cases demonstrate that there is still work to be done. Visit our website — https://ukla-vls.org. uk/ — to find out more and keep up-to-date with latest investigations. If you have concerns about a lubricant’s ability to deliver what it claims, email admin@ukla-vls.org.uk or call 01442 875922. In this first of a regular series looking at the role of the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) in upholding standards in the industry, for the benefit of end users and consumers, chairman Harald Oosting talks to Aftermarket about the independent body’s role Protecting you and your workshop Harald Oosting Insight 17
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