Winter Tyres - whats the difference and do I need them?

[Schokofruhstucksflockenhasseri]

Deeper treads? different sort of rubber?

I am just north of the Alps, so it gets fairly snowy in winter. Do I need a different set of tyres or are they just a racket to get more money out of motorists?

Deeper treads, more grooves, different sort of rubber.
Never been in a position to need them myself and not entirely sure how useful they'd be if you live in a city where all roads are cleared etc, but sound like a good plan if you're out in the sticks, especially as snow chains are a pain to keep taking on and off.

(NB depending where you are they may actually be a legal requirement - handy list here )

Thank you for the list!
The roads arent completely cleared in the city, because there is too much snow. Also, new snow falls quite regularly.

I have been told, that although winter tyres arent compulsory here, if you are involved in an accident, even if it was 100% the other persons fault, the insurance may decide it was 50% your fault because you didnt have winter tyres.
My insurance is still English, so am not sure how they would take that.

Dont want to fork out unnecessarily, but maybe I am just being English and naive. Must do a poll of colleagues.

I do feel alot safer driving in the snow with them on. The downside (apart from cost) is always having to store 4 wheels somewhere, the norm is not just to change to tyres but to buy an extra set of wheels IYSWIM? Some garages/ car dealers will store wheels for you.

I know in Canada they sell "all weather radials" which everyone has now. (When I was a kid, everyone had winter tyres and summer tyres.)

I think the all-weather radials are good on snow, but still fuel-efficient on dry roads.

ooh thank you thats interesting. People still seem to change their tyres in Germany.