CMA publishes final decision on vet market
The CMA has persevered with a controversial approach to the medicines market.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its long-awaited decision report on veterinary services for household pets.
Its report sets out major changes for the veterinary sector, which will see the business structure of many veterinary practices changed drastically.
Many of the remedies remain unchanged from the provisional decision report, published in November 2025. This includes direction for practices to publish a ‘comprehensive’ price list on their websites and unpack the components of any offered pet health plans.
The inquiry group has, however, increased its proposed prescription price cap from £16 to £21 for the first medicine, and £12.50 for any additional medicines.
The CMA is also persevering with its controversial approach to the veterinary medicines market. From June 2027, the CMA will require practices to promote the services of online pharmacies as a ‘cheaper’ alternative to in-practice pharmacy.
In a summary of its final report, the CMA said it had seen ‘nothing to suggest’ that the online pharmacy market was not competitive, nor any evidence that LVG-owned practices would have an advantage over independent practices as a result of this measure.
The CMA has scrapped plans to impose price control on veterinary services. It has also concluded that it would be ‘disproportionate’ to cap the profitability of veterinary businesses.
Instead, the CMA says it has focused on measures which will ‘open up competition and enhance the regulatory oversight regime'.
The CMA will now put into place an Order to enact its remedies, and accept Undertakings from the RCVS, which it must do before 23 September 2026. It will also work with the government on proposed changes to reform the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.
A summary of the CMA’s findings can be found here.
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Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
