Pet owners to get a better deal under vet sector shake-up

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been examining the vet industry since September 2023 and has now set out measures to improve services for pet owners.

Which? carried out research into the consumer experience of vets in 2023 and found that pet owners often struggled to compare prices and were unsure whether treatments offered were really necessary due to a lack of information. Based on our findings, we called on the CMA to have a deeper look at the industry.

The CMA attributed problems in the vet sector to a lack of competition, including transparency issues when it comes to pricing, making it difficult for pet owners to make informed decisions.

It has now announced plans to improve pricing and transparency in the veterinary sector, which will take effect later this year.

Here, we look at the regulator's plans to improve vet services.

Regulator shake-up of vets

The CMA's reforms will aim to make it clearer which vets are owned by large groups, whether the pricing is competitive and an independent regulator to keep the market in check.

Vets will be required to publish price lists for their standard service to help customers understand charges and whether their fees are competitive. 

When your pet is recommended medication, the new reforms will ensure you are given written prescriptions, so you can buy medication from anywhere and at potentially lower prices. And, for the first time, vet prescription fees will be capped at £21 for the first medicine and at £12.50 for any additional medicines. 

The regulator has also announced that:

• Vet price and ownership information will be made available through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Find a Vet website.
• Both online and in person, it should be clear who owns a veterinary practice through branding and signage.
• Treatments over £500, will have a written estimate in advance and an itemised bill. 
• Vet practices must have written policies in place to offer independent and impartial advice, and they must follow a transparent in-house complaints process and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
• Pet care plans and all cremation option prices should be set out clearly, with the lower-cost option of a communal cremation made clear.
• Businesses that provide out-of-hours services to pet owners will be banned from imposing long notice periods in their contracts with vets, so your practice will be able to offer you a better service elsewhere if necessary. 

Which?'s response to the CMA's plans

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Rights Policy, said:

'Pets are members of the family in millions of homes across the UK, so vet services people can trust and rely on are incredibly important.

'The measures that the Competition and Market Authority is taking will be welcome for those who have been caught out by hidden fees and unclear pricing at stressful times when their pet needed treatment. It will mean more transparency over ownership of practices and pricing, easier access to cheaper medicines, and clearer complaints processes if something goes wrong.

'There are, however, limits to what the CMA can do and more fundamental reform of the veterinary market is long overdue. The government is consulting on proposals that will strengthen standards by regulating veterinary practices, rather than just individual vets.

'It is crucial that legislation to deliver on these much-needed reforms is prioritised, including creating a strong independent regulator and a robust system for independent redress.'

• Find out more: I'm unhappy with my vet, what are my rights?

'It has become almost impossible to find an independent vet'

In 2023, Which? surveyed 2,000 pet owners and looked at the websites of large-chain veterinary practices to investigate anti-competitive practices in the industry and the effect this was having on pet owners.

We found that among pet owners who compared prices when choosing a practice, three in 10 said that they were difficult to compare.

Looking at the websites of veterinary practices, we discovered that prices often weren't displayed on the practice or chain site. When they were, it was often just for basics like consultation fees. Our research found that more than a third of pet owners said they were usually only informed about prices at reception, after the appointment.

Which? also discovered there was a lack of transparency with service information, with just over a quarter of pet owners having, at some point, doubted whether a treatment recommended by their vet was really necessary.

Almost three in 10 pet owners who'd gone ahead with treatments that they were unsure about had done so because they didn't have enough information to know whether it was necessary or not.

Which? was contacted by lots of pet owners keen to share their own experiences. One pet owner explained to us that when one of his cats was undergoing a long course of treatment, the vet suggested that he could simply call to update the vet on how the cat was responding after taking it home. 

He was shocked to find that the two-minute phone call to inform the vet that his cat was OK came with a bill of £36.89. He was also quoted £188.96 by his vet for a laxative to treat his cat's constipation, but discovered that it could be bought online for just £41.94.

The CMA's proposals should see a much-needed improvement for vet pricing and services for pet owners. However, Which? has concerns that to ensure there's effective redress for consumers, the government will need to act swiftly on the CMA's recommendations for new legislation. Getting redress when things go wrong under the current framework is not easy for consumers, and is leaving many pet owners feeling unheard and let down. 

What to do if you're not happy with your vet

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services should be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If the price isn’t agreed beforehand, it should be provided at a reasonable price, and if a timescale hasn’t been agreed, the service must be carried out within a reasonable timeframe.

The Act also states that information which is spoken or written is binding where you rely on it.

Under the Consumer Rights Act, the vet has to remedy the situation by redoing the part of the service that was inadequate or carrying out the entire service again. If this isn’t possible, you can ask for a price reduction or a full refund in severe cases.

You can complain via the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) about service issues, negligence and fees.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has a code of conduct that vets must follow, and you can raise concerns about veterinary surgeons and nurses on its website. 

This story was originally published on 27 October 2025, and updated on 24 March 2026 to report on the CMA reforms.