UK pushes final ruling on vet market inquiry to 2026

Concern about potential anti-competitive practices in the UK’s veterinary sector has prompted the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to extend its investigation.

The British consumer protection watchdog announced it is extending the administrative deadline for the final decision of the inquiry from the end of November 2025 to February 2026. A provisional decision is expected in September 2025, with response hearings scheduled for October.

The body began examining the industry in 2023 amid concerns about the rising cost of pet healthcare, a problem also present in other developed economies.

CMA’s preliminary investigation found that some pet owners were finding it difficult “to access basic information like price lists and prescription costs,” leading to them paying more for medicines.

This led to further investigations, including consideration of the incentives received by veterinarians and the impact of the sector’s existing business models.

Suggested remedies

The CMA recently suggested extensive remedies:

• Improved Transparency and Consumer Information: Require vet practices to publish clear, upfront pricing for basic services, disclose ownership (especially by large groups) and provide better information on treatment options, including simpler or lower-cost alternatives.
• Regulatory Reform: Update regulations to include oversight of veterinary businesses and non-veterinary managers, strengthen enforcement and consumer redress mechanisms, and ensure that veterinary medicines regulation considers consumer interests and competition.
• Addressing Market Concentration: Consider interventions in areas with limited provider choice, such as restricting further consolidation, mandating divestments, or enforcing transparent branding to prevent misleading impressions of competition.
• Encouraging Competitive Pricing of Medicines: Introduce measures to improve price transparency and reduce mark-ups on veterinary medicines, promote awareness of the right to request prescriptions and ensure that prescription charges are fair.
• Supporting Consumer Switching: Make it easier for pet owners to change vet providers by streamlining medical record transfers and encouraging better communication and standardization across practices.
• Reforming Out-of-Hours (OOH) Services: Boost competition in OOH services by encouraging new providers, supporting shared provision models and addressing pricing concerns in areas where only 1 or 2 options are available.
• Cremation and End-of-Life Services: Mandate clear, upfront pricing and better communication of options for pet cremation services, ensuring pet owners give informed consent and have access to independent service providers.

Industry response

Responding to these suggestions, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) said they went too far, too fast.

“It’s clear from many of these potential remedies that the Competition and Markets Authority has listened and has worked hard to understand the complexities of the veterinary landscape and how clinical services are delivered,” says BVA President Dr. Elizabeth Mullineaux.

“However, we have serious concerns that the proposed remedies are completely disproportionate and, in some cases, simply unworkable,” she adds. “If all the measures were implemented at the same time, the sheer volume and complexity would place an unacceptable burden on vet practices and could jeopardize the viability of many businesses, particularly smaller independent practices.”

Addressing the delay

The CMA says that its inquiry will consider the context of why it has proposed its remedies, the impact on businesses and informed consumer choice as it moves forward with the inquiry.

Speaking after the CMA extended the deadline for its final decision, the BVA says it was disappointing, especially for frontline staff who have faced negative headlines due to the inquiry.

It noted, though, that “whilst this extension prolongs uncertainty across the veterinary sector, the CMA’s final remedies will have far-reaching consequences for the viability of vet businesses, which, in turn, will impact clients and animal welfare, and so it’s vital that the CMA gets this right.”