Pet prescription fees to be capped after watchdog finds owners overcharged

Pet owners will pay no more than £21 for a prescription under new rules announced by the Competition and Markets Authority.

The watchdog said the cap is being introduced after it found some customers were being overcharged for commonly prescribed medicines by veterinary practices.

Under the shake-up, vets will also be required to tell pet owners if they could save money by using a prescription to buy medication online.

The changes follow a three-year investigation into the sector.

The changes will also require vet practices to publish full price lists for standard services, including consultations, common procedures, diagnostic tests, written prescriptions and cremation options.

A new comparison website will be set up to help pet owners compare practices more easily.

Vets will also have to make clear whether they are part of a larger group or operating independently, both online and at their premises.

Under the new rules, practices must provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, along with an itemised bill.

Emergency treatment will be the only exception.

Martin Coleman, chair of the inquiry, said: “We have come to the clear conclusion that the current system is not working as well as it should for pet owners, vets and the animals they care for.

“Pet owners are left in the dark about prices even when they may be incurring costs of thousands of pounds; many are paying much more for medicines than they need to; pet owners often do not know who they are buying services from; and the large businesses that control the majority of vet practices and provide critical services are not held to account by an independent regulator.”

Mr Coleman added that the review was the most wide-ranging look at veterinary services in a generation and that the reforms would make a meaningful difference for millions of pet owners trying to find the right practice, treatment and price for their animals.

He said people were too often left unclear about who owned their practice, what treatment options were available and how much they would pay, even when bills ran into thousands of pounds.

He said that the changes were designed to put pet owners first, while also supporting vets by strengthening trust in the profession and protecting clinical judgment from commercial pressure.

The new rules will be legally enforced from 23 September.