CMA reforms & consumer rights
The CMA's landmark 2026 reforms have fundamentally changed what UK pet owners can expect from their vet in terms of pricing, transparency and consumer rights. Here's exactly what you're now entitled to.
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Practices must publish a comprehensive price list covering consultations, procedures, diagnostics, prescriptions and cremation options.
Practices must clearly display whether they are independent or part of a larger corporate group — on signage, online, and at the premises.
For any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, you must receive a written estimate in advance — plus an itemised bill afterwards.
Written prescription fees are legally capped at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for additional medicines. Some practices were charging £40+.
The RCVS must share practice data — including pricing — with third-party comparison sites, enabling genuine local comparison for the first time.
Practices must have policies ensuring vets can give independent, impartial advice free from commercial pressure from corporate owners.
Your vet must proactively tell you that a written prescription is available — you no longer need to know to ask.
Every practice must have a transparent, accessible complaints process and engage in mediation when disputes cannot be resolved internally.
The CMA launched its investigation in September 2023 after growing concern about rising vet prices, corporate consolidation, and a lack of transparency. It received 56,000 responses — 45,000 from the public. The findings were significant: pet owners were regularly left in the dark about ownership, prices, and their rights, leading to weak competition and higher bills.
The veterinary sector is worth over £6.7 billion a year. Over 60% of practices are now owned by large corporate groups. The regulatory framework governing the sector was 60 years old and had not kept pace with this consolidation.
The result is the most significant reform of veterinary consumer rights in a generation — and the explicit creation of a framework for comparison platforms like CompareMyVet to operate within.
Source: All reforms described on this page are drawn from the CMA's Final Report published 24 March 2026. Read the full CMA report →