Important Update for UK Vet Practices: What the Proposed CMA Reforms Mean for You

On 15 October 2025, the CMA published a provisional decision recommending sweeping changes to the UK’s £6.3 billion veterinary services market.

Why These Reforms?

The CMA investigation found several systemic concerns affecting pet owners:

• Many pet owners are unaware of the prices for common services — or whether their local practice is part of a large corporate group.
• There is no easy way for consumers to compare vet prices across practices.
• Some pet owners may pay up to twice as much for medicines from vet practices than they would online — potentially costing them hundreds of pounds more than necessary.
• Treatments running into hundreds or even thousands of pounds are often agreed without a written estimate, and customers may only receive their bill after treatment.
• There is often a lack of clarity over pet-care plans, cremation costs, and limited routes for complaint if things go wrong.
• Prices across the market rose by 63% between 2016 and 2023 — well above inflation.
• On average, pet owners pay around 16.6% more at large vet groups than at independent practices.

What the Proposed Reforms Would Require from Vet Businesses

To address these issues, the CMA has proposed a package of 21 measures that would require vet businesses to make fundamental changes. Below are the main points that practices should be aware of:

• Publish comprehensive price lists — covering consultations, diagnostics, surgeries, medicines, pet-care plans, cremations, etc., and make clear whether the practice is part of a larger corporate group.
• Provide written estimates and itemised bills for treatments likely to cost £500 or more (including aftercare).
• Enable easier access to cheaper medicines — by automatically providing prescriptions for commonly used medicines (unless the owner chooses otherwise), and capping prescription charges at £16
• Give clear pricing for pet-care plans and cremations to help owners assess value and costs properly.
• Support enhanced transparency and choice by contributing pricing and ownership data to an improved version of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) “Find a Vet” directory — so pet owners can compare practices more easily.
• Prepare for regulatory reform — the CMA recommends updating the regulatory framework so it regulates vet businesses (not just individual vets), enabling better standards and a formal complaints route.

What This Means for Vet Practices Right Now

Although the final decision is not expected until March 2026 — with some measures potentially implemented before the end of 2026 — the CMA is urging vet businesses to begin planning and considering voluntary changes now.

For many practices, this will mean reviewing internal systems, pricing strategies, and communication processes. While there may be some additional administrative work involved, the CMA believes the long-term benefits — improved client trust, clearer competition, and better consumer protection — will outweigh the costs.

Why Vet Businesses Should Embrace These Changes

Transparency builds trust. Pet owners want clarity on what services cost, who owns the practice, and whether they are getting fair value. By being open and clear, you can cultivate long-term relationships based on trust and fairness.

Stay ahead of regulation. Rather than scrambling at the last minute — after a legally binding order — using the next few months to audit your pricing, billing, and communication practices could save you stress and costs later.

Better competition = better standards. A more transparent market and easier comparison could help independent and ethical practices stand out on quality, ethics and value — which many clients value highly.

Practical Steps You Can Take Today

• Start compiling detailed price lists covering all services — from routine appointments to surgeries, prescriptions, and pet-care plans.
• Ensure your billing process can provide written estimates and itemised invoices, especially for more expensive treatments.
• Review your current prescription and medicine-sales practices. Decide whether to offer prescriptions rather than enforcing in-house purchase, and review how to price or cap prescription fees.
• Audit your pet-care plans, cremation services, and care-plan charges to ensure they are transparent and fairly priced.
• Check that your website and client communications clearly state ownership status (independent or chain), and consider how you might upload pricing data when a comparison website becomes available (e.g. via RCVS directory or third-party services).
• Train your client-facing staff to explain charges clearly, answer questions openly, and support client trust — especially around prescriptions and care plans.

By taking proactive steps, your practice can show it values fairness, transparency and client trust — and will be ready when the reforms become legally binding.

Based on the CMA’s provisional decision published 15 October 2025.