The CMA's Vet Market Remedies, Explained in Plain English

The CMA's final report is not just a diagnosis of problems. It is a binding order for the market to change. Here is what the remedies package actually requires, and when it takes effect.

Price transparency from September 2026

The most significant change for pet owners: from September 2026, every vet practice in the UK will be required to publish prices for a standardised list of common treatments. The list has not been finalised, but is expected to cover consultations, standard vaccinations, neutering, and common diagnostic tests.

For the first time, you will be able to compare what practices near you charge for the same procedure without having to phone each one individually. This is what VetPriceCheck is being built to make easy.

Prescription rights get louder

Your right to a written prescription already exists in law. You have been able to take a vet's prescription to an online pharmacy since 2012. The problem was that most people did not know this, and many practices did not volunteer the information.

The CMA's remedies require practices to proactively tell you about this right. Not bury it in small print, but actually tell you, during the consultation, that you can take your prescription elsewhere. A monthly flea and worm treatment that costs £35 at the practice may cost £9 from an online pharmacy with the same prescription.

What happens in areas with too little competition

In parts of the UK where one corporate group owns most of the local practices, the CMA has proposed structural remedies. These could require a group to sell practices in specific areas to restore competitive choice. The details will be set out in Orders due by September 2026, and the process for identifying affected areas is ongoing.

The RCVS has obligations too

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is required to update its regulatory framework to support the CMA's objectives. This includes clearer rules around informed consent, upfront fee disclosure, and how referrals are handled. Referrals to in-group specialist facilities were identified as an area of concern, since a practice owned by CVS referring you to a CVS-owned referral centre removes any independent clinical judgement about the best place to send your pet.

What you can do before September 2026

The rules are changing, but you do not have to wait. Ask for a written estimate before agreeing to any treatment. Request a written prescription for any repeat medication and check the price online. Ask who owns your practice. And join the VetPriceCheck waitlist. When practices start publishing prices this autumn, we will be ready to compare them.