I was watching the One Show earlier and they had a section abut most modern cars now coming with a type of puncture repair kit instead of a spare tyre.
The repair kit injects a liquid rubber in through the valve and you have to drive slowly for 2 miles so it sets and seals the hole.
Personally I think its a money making exercise. Think about it...
1: No spare tyre as standard - if you want one its an optional extra which you have to pay for
2: The repair cant be used if the sidewall is punctured. So no spare, means a recovery company which you have to pay for in one way or another
3: (and I may be wrong) You have to get a replacement tyre as the sealant makes the tyre useless which you have to pay for a new one
4: When you have used the repair kit, my guess is you have to buy a refill (see the theme here) which you have to pay for.
Just go back to spare tyres, be that full size or space saving. Make them a standard issue and not optional extra and it saves you money in the long run. Granted it wont save time but me, i think id prefer to spend 15 minutes getting wet and cold changing a tyre than paying out hundreds in cash.