The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provided further clarity on the practical implementation of its remedies designed to reform veterinary services for household pets across the UK. The measures, discussed by Martin Coleman, Non-Executive Director and Panel Chair, at BVA Live 2026, follow an extensive inquiry into the sector, which identified significant concerns regarding transparency, pricing, and ownership.
Coleman highlighted that the CMA's inquiry uncovered issues such as a lack of clarity over practice ownership, unexpected treatment costs, high medicine prices, and inadequate complaints processes. These problems were found within a regulatory framework deemed outdated and ill-suited for the current landscape of veterinary care. The new remedies aim to tackle these issues directly, focusing on empowering pet owners with better information and fostering greater trust in the sector.
A core element of the new package is enhanced transparency. Pet owners will soon see clearer information about who owns their veterinary practice, particularly where individual clinics are part of larger corporate groups. This addresses a specific concern where, in some cases, the branding of major veterinary groups did not explicitly indicate their ownership of individual practices. The CMA noted that many pet owners expressed a preference for independent practices, underscoring the importance of this clarity.
Furthermore, the remedies will mandate improved visibility of prices for a standard list of services and for more complex treatments. This also extends to clearer information about out-of-hours arrangements and tools to help clients compare different providers. For non-urgent treatment pathways likely to cost £500 or more, practices will be required to provide written estimates, followed by itemised bills, to ensure pet owners are fully informed about potential expenses.
Recognising the varying capacities of practices, the CMA has adjusted certain remedies in response to consultation feedback. This includes simplifying price list requirements, streamlining the calculation of prescription fees, and granting more time for smaller independent practices to comply. The objective is to establish a clearer baseline for information, fairness, and client confidence without imposing undue administrative burdens.
These changes are expected to lead to better-informed clients, more responsive practices, and a stronger foundation of trust within the veterinary sector. The CMA's overarching goal is to create a framework that supports positive outcomes for pet owners, veterinary professionals, and the animals under their care, ensuring that animal welfare remains paramount.
Source: Martin Coleman, Non-Executive Director and Panel Chair, CMA (speech at BVA Live 2026)