The Digester

The Competition and Markets Authority ordered caps on prescription fees, mandatory price transparency and a comparison website after finding weak competition and steep price rises in the UK veterinary market.

The Competition and Markets Authority caps written prescription fees at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for each additional medicine.
Legally binding measures require standard price lists, mandatory branding by large groups and a government-backed price comparison website.
Practices must provide a written estimate for treatments expected to cost £500 or more and supply an itemised bill after treatment.
The CMA found veterinary prices rose 63% between 2016 and 2023 and public satisfaction with costs is low.
The inquiry found weak competition and dominance by large veterinary groups whose pricing strategies were not clearly linked to quality, and changes are expected to appear at chain practices before Christmas.

UK watchdog caps vets' prescription fees and orders price transparency

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