Watchdog Cracks Down on Vets Over Sky-High Bills and Lack of Transparency

The UK’s £6.3 billion veterinary services market is under scrutiny, with sweeping changes on the horizon after a damning investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The watchdog’s provisional findings reveal that pet owners are being left in the dark, facing inflated bills and a lack of clarity when it comes to vet services and pricing.

Prices across the industry have jumped 63% since 2016 — almost double the rate of inflation. The CMA says this is largely due to a lack of competition, with many practices now owned by a handful of large national groups. Pet owners are often unaware that their local vet is part of a chain, which could be costing them more. In fact, customers pay on average 16.6% more at these corporate-owned practices compared to independent ones.

Martin Coleman, who chairs the CMA inquiry group, said: “Pet owners are often left in the dark, not knowing whether their practice is independent or part of a chain or what a fair price looks like.” He also highlighted that people are committing to costly treatments without being given clear information about what the cost will be in advance. In some cases, medicines prescribed by vets can cost twice as much as buying the same product online — a difference that can be hundreds of pounds.

The investigation was launched after the CMA received an “unprecedented” 56,000 responses from both customers and vet professionals. Many shared experiences of unexpected bills, lack of price transparency, and feeling pressured into expensive treatments. Some even said they had to delay treatment or consider putting their pets down due to unaffordable costs.

The CMA now proposes a package of 21 measures to fix the system. These include:

• Vets must publish detailed price lists for common services and treatments.
• Practices should clearly state whether they are part of a larger group.
• Prescription fees would be capped at £16.
• Vets would be required to provide written estimates for treatments over £500, as well as itemised bills.
• Customers should be automatically given a written prescription for frequently used medicines, unless they opt out, making it easier to buy online.
• Clear pricing must also be provided for pet care plans and cremation services.
• A revamped "Find a Vet" website will include pricing data to help pet owners compare options.

There’s also a call for urgent government action to replace outdated regulations from 1966, which currently only cover individual vets — not the businesses that own most practices today. Without proper regulation of these businesses, the CMA says pet owners are left vulnerable and without clear ways to complain when things go wrong.

The six biggest vet groups — including CVS, IVC, VetPartners, Medivet, Linnaeus, and Pets at Home’s Vets for Pets — dominate the industry. The CMA found that when large companies acquire smaller practices, prices tend to rise even faster. Sue Davies from consumer group Which? said: “It’s clear that the regulation of this market has become outdated, to the detriment of both pet owners and vet practices.” The CMA says these proposals aim to give power back to pet owners, making it easier to make informed choices without being hit with unexpected or excessive costs.

Vet businesses now have until 12th November 2025 to respond to the proposals before a final decision is made by March 2026. Some reforms could be legally enforced by the end of 2026, although smaller practices would get more time to adapt. Until then, the CMA is encouraging vet businesses to start making voluntary changes now — for the sake of both pets and their owners.