63%
rise in average vet prices between 2016 and 2023, much faster than general inflation (CMA).
Over 60%
of practices are owned in whole or part by six large groups, up from about 10% in 2013.
69%
of pet owners asked had not tried, or were unable, to compare the price of medicines.
Small or Large
The order calls a business small if it has fewer than 15 first-opinion practices and out-of-hours centres. Most dates depend on which you are.
What Each Duty Means in Practice
| Duty | What you do |
|---|---|
| Price list | Publish prices for common services in the standard form the order sets |
| Written estimates | Give a written estimate for treatment likely to cost £500 or more including VAT. In an emergency, as soon as reasonably possible afterwards |
| Itemised bills | Show what each charge is for |
| Prescriptions | Tell owners a written prescription is available, and keep the fee within the cap |
| Cremation | Present end-of-life options, including a basic communal cremation |
| Complaints | Run an in-house complaints process, keep a complaint log and take part in mediation in good faith |
| Ownership | Show clearly if the practice belongs to a group |
| Below £500 | No written estimate required by the order |
|---|---|
| £500 or more | A written estimate is required |
Why the CMA Acted
Average first-year treatment costs rose 53% from January 2016 to December 2023, against 32% for general inflation.
The CMA puts the harm to pet owners from first-opinion practices at around £1 billion over five years.
Buying medicines online could save an owner £200 to £300 a year on average.
Who Checks
The CMA enforces the order, not the RCVS. It can give binding directions and fine a business, including daily penalties. A business must report a breach within 14 days of finding it. The RCVS will monitor compliance, run an improved Find a Vet and appoint a mediation provider, paid for by a levy on practices.
Businesses with a single practice don’t have to send the CMA a yearly statement that they comply. The CMA says these smallest businesses are 70% of all vet businesses.
Three Things to Try Now
- Write down every service you’d need on a price list and its current price. Most of the March 2027 work is this.
- Decide who answers complaints and where the log lives.
- Test your estimates: pick the last ten treatments over £500 and check each had a written estimate.
Sources
- CMA, Veterinary services for household pets: final decision report, 24 March 2026
- Summary of the final report
- The Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026
- Notice of making the Order, 22 September 2026
- CMA guidance for veterinary businesses
- Explanatory note
Read next
- Customers dispute what was agreed and what it cost.Every quote and every change is written down and approved before the work goes ahead.
- Dental and Veterinary ClinicsYour clinicians are booked solid. The phone, the estimates, the consent and the follow-up all land on a front desk that’s already full.
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Tell us which one. We’ll tell you whether we can fix it and how long it takes.