New rules have capped written prescription fees from vets at £21. These changes are part of a series of updates that vet practices are legally required to implement over the coming months.
Under the new regulations, vets must also inform clients if cheaper medicine is available online. Additionally, practices will need to provide written price estimates for treatments expected to cost £500 or more, and publish comprehensive price lists for standard services.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) introduced these measures after an investigation found that prices in the sector had been increasing at nearly twice the rate of inflation. The remedies became legally binding on Tuesday, with vets having up to 12 months to bring all the changes into effect.
However, some critics argue that these measures will disproportionately affect independent vets and benefit the six firms that own over two-thirds of practices. Cate Titterton, an independent vet owner, suggested that if practices cannot make a profit on drugs, prices for services, consultations, and surgeries are likely to increase.