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Competition and Markets Authority investigation
On 7 September 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a call for information inviting pet owners, people who work in veterinary practices and people who supply products and services to the veterinary services market to share their thoughts on the veterinary market for pets. On 23 May 2024, the CMA confirmed that it will proceed with a formal market investigation into the UK’s veterinary services market for household pets, following an initial review and consultation.
This page provides the latest information, resources and FAQs to keep you up to date.
This is a live resource and will be updated regularly. Last reviewed: August 2024.
Activity
Catch up on our latest responses and activity:
- 8 August 2024: BVA publishes blog - Standing up for the veterinary profession
- 1 August 2024: BVA raises concerns of unintended consequences as it publishes joint response to CMA’s Issues Statement
- 1 August 2024: BVA's submits joint response to CMA's Issues Statement
- 9 July 2024: CMA takes next procedural step in vet services investigation
- 23 May 2024: BVA responds as Competition and Markets Authority launches ‘market investigation’ of the veterinary sector
- 2 May 2024: BVA launches new guidance to help profession address CMA concerns on transparency and client choice
- 11 April 2024: BVA leads joint response from the veterinary professions to Competition and Markets Authority consultation
- 11 April 2024: BVA submits joint consultation response to proposed Market Investigation Reference
- 19 March 2024: BVA joins industry webinar panel to discuss review findings (catch up on recording - member access code in portal)
- 12 March 2024: BVA responds to Competition and Markets Authority’s initial review of the veterinary sector
- 30 November 2023: Adrian Chiles issues public apology to vets after BVA challenges ‘offensive’ and ‘damaging’ Guardian article
- 29 November 2023: BVA responds to Daily Mail articles on ‘overtreatment’
- 23 November 2023: BVA challenges the Guardian on deeply ‘offensive’ and ‘damaging’ characterisation of vets
- 3 November 2023: BVA publishes joint consultation response
- 3 November 2023: BVA issues release backing profession over fees for highly skilled care, but says transparency is key
- 13 September 2023: Cost of vet care: challenging misleading media reports
- 7 September 2023: BVA responds to Competition and Markets Authority’s review announcement
New transparency and client choice guidance
This new resource sets out a range of simple measures that practices can take to increase transparency of fees, transparency of practice ownership, and prescribing and dispensing.
In the news
Following the release of the CMA's initial review and the investigation launch, the BVA Officer team featured on national and regional news outlets across to UK combatting misconceptions and setting the record straight, including BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4 Today, and BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast.
Useful resources
The Competition and Markets Authority is the principal competition regulator in the UK. It is a non-ministerial government department responsible for strengthening business competition and preventing and reducing anti-competitive activities.
The CMA launched an initial review looking at consumer experiences and business practices in the provision of veterinary services for household pets in the UK in September 2023 and published a report and ‘Consultation on proposed Market Investigation Reference’ in March 2024. The review explored how well the market is working for pet owners, including whether they are receiving the information they need at the right time to get appropriate treatment for their pets. The CMA’s concerns are:
- Consumers are getting the information they need, at the right time, to make informed decisions
- A limited choice of vet businesses in some local areas is impacting pet owners
- Profits earned are consistent with the levels expected in a competitive market
- Vet businesses have the incentive and ability to limit consumer choice when providing treatments or recommending related services, particularly when they are part of large integrated groups
- The regulatory framework is preventing the market from functioning as well as it could
On 23 May 2024, the CMA launched a formal 'market investigation' to look at these concerns in more depth.
A Market Investigation is a more in-depth investigation that would allow the CMA to use legal powers to require organisations to provide relevant information to allow it to investigate the relevant veterinary markets in more detail. It would also allow the CMA to legally enforce any remedies it suggests.
We do not yet know if the CMA will go to a MIR or what that will find. The initial CMA report however highlights some areas that they feel veterinary businesses can already improve upon:
- Transparency around pricing – price lists, estimates, discussion (contextualised care)
- Transparency of ownership of the practice and of related services
- Prescribing and dispensing veterinary medicines
The Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966) (VSA) is very old and regulates individual vets not veterinary businesses. This means the RCVS has little control over the commercial and client facing aspects of veterinary practice. A mandatory Practice Standards Scheme might be one outcome of the CMA investigation, as well as broader reform of the VSA, which BVA and the RCVS continue to lobby for.