The CMA Vet Investigation: Thoughts From UK and US Veterinarians

The Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA’s) market investigation into veterinary services for household pets took more than two years, drew 56,000 responses, and generated enough media attention to make "vet pricing" a household topic in the UK. 

The final report, published in March 2026, confirmed what many in the profession already suspected: Pet owners lack the information they need to compare practices and make informed decisions, and consolidation in the sector may be contributing to higher prices.

Now, with the CMA order expected in September 2026 and an implementation phase stretching into late 2027, veterinary practices across the UK are preparing for legally binding remedies that will change how they practice. Here’s what veterinarians on both sides of the Atlantic think about the reforms and the question of accessibility and affordability as a whole.

Why did the CMA investigate vets?

The CMA's review of the veterinary services market for household pets focused on consolidation and its effects on competition and pricing. Nearly 60% of UK first opinion practices (FOPs) now belong to one of six large corporate groups, but pet owners are kept in the dark about which practices are corporate-owned and how that might affect pricing.

The CMA vet investigation found that the branding and signage of four of the six large corporate groups did not make clear to clients that individual practices were part of a larger group. It also found that average prices at five of the six large veterinary groups were 18.3% higher than those at independent practices. Four of those groups generated profits that, in the CMA's words, "materially exceeded the cost of capital over a sustained period." 

They then prescribed remedies requiring all veterinary practices to disclose ownership, publish a standard price list for comparison, cap fees for written prescriptions, offer written estimates for treatment pathways likely to cost £500 or more, and provide specific dispute-resolution avenues for client complaints.

What do UK vets make of the reforms?

Most UK veterinarians understand that veterinary cost inflation has been an issue. However, some worry the added administrative burden will disproportionately affect smaller practices.

Charlie Withers, director of Milestone Veterinary Centre in the UK, notes it could change the relationship between vets and pet owners. "One of the things that came out of the CMA ruling is the importance of good, strong communication with your clients,” he said. “Give them choice. Be seen to be giving them choice."

The reforms focus on information transparency, empowering pet owners and encouraging healthy competition in the market. Alex Green, director of Broadway Vet Group in the UK, noted that the ownership-transparency remedy will help address the confusion created by consolidation, sharing a story about a client who left their independent practice after believing it had been sold to a corporate group, only to switch to a clinic that was actually owned by a larger group.

Some corporate groups have expressed compliance and agreement. In a statement to investors reported by Vet Times, CVS Veterinary Group in the UK said: "CVS welcomes the certainty that this morning's announcement brings after more than two and a half years of CMA scrutiny." The group added, "Whilst we continue to believe that some of these remedies are not fully justified, we are comfortable with them and believe they are workable." 

Medivet & Partners, another practice group located in the UK, told Vet Times: "We are pleased to see that many of our existing practices, such as our commitment to a single, transparent brand across all clinics and our online price transparency, already align directly with the CMA's recommendations." 

Will price transparency change how owners choose a vet?

Under the new remedies, every FOP must publish a standard price list that includes consultations/exams, common procedures, diagnostics, prescriptions, and cremation options, as well as out-of-hours information. Additionally, pet care plan or wellness plan pricing must be displayed with a comparison of costs between the plan and à la carte options. 

Martin Coleman, who chaired the CMA's inquiry, was careful not to overclaim. Speaking at BVA Live in June 2026, he said: "Transparency is central. Not because veterinary care can be reduced to a simple price comparison: clients choose practices for many reasons, and treatment decisions are shaped by professional judgment and the needs of the individual animal." 

Whether price transparency will change how someone chooses a veterinarian is debatable. Kasey Ellinwood, RVT, founder of PetSnoot in the US, has long advocated for price transparency. However, as she pointed out, price is only part of the picture. 

"A price list tells a pet owner what something costs, but cost isn't (or at least shouldn't be) the only factor influencing a pet owner's veterinary health care decisions,” she said. “A price list doesn't explain why one pet needs a vaccine based on its lifestyle and exposure risk, while another pet doesn't. Numbers without context don't promote a better understanding of veterinary recommendations."

How will the ruling affect independent practices?

The CMA vet investigation targeted large corporate groups, but the remedies apply to all veterinary businesses, including independent practices. For large groups with centralized compliance teams, implementing a standard price list or a complaint log is a major project. 

Ellinwood noted, "Whatever increased burden comes along with this, it will take a larger toll on the smaller, privately owned practices, who aren't as well positioned as the corporate practices to absorb the extra time and costs. So, there should be some concern that more regulation could push the industry further towards domination by veterinary conglomerates, and if and when that happens, it would be a net loss for the pet owners."

Coleman has addressed this directly, saying the CMA adjusted several remedies in response to consultation feedback, including simplifying the price list and the prescription fee calculation, and allowing smaller independent practices more time. "The aim is a clearer baseline for information, fairness and client confidence," he said, "not unnecessary bureaucracy." 

Will the US regulate veterinary pricing?

Dr. Jules Benson, co-founder of Clarity Veterinary Surgical Center—a US clinic that published its flat per-procedure pricing online—doesn’t think this will happen anytime soon, pointing out that the U.S. has had limited regulatory interest amid a long period of consolidation. 

However, he has seen positive impacts from voluntarily enacting price transparency. Benson noted, "The response from pet families on the pricing transparency has been overwhelmingly positive; the biggest challenge we have is in assuring them that the published prices are all-inclusive, and that there aren't any additional surprises.”

He also added that it hasn’t been easy to achieve and requires commitment to the cause. “I want to be clear that providing transparency at that level of service is technically quite difficult,” he said. “Understanding every cost that could go into these procedures and then self-insuring against variability is a leap to take, but pricing transparency creates opportunities for us to approach pet families and vet clinics in unique ways.”

Similarly, Ellinwood noted that many US practices already provide written estimates for everything from preventive care to major procedures, and she sees elements of the UK reform, including published price lists and ownership transparency, as common sense.

Dr. Bob Jones, DVM, a US-based veterinarian, wrote in a July 2026 Brakke Viewpoint newsletter, "I was sure that these reforms were all going to be bad, but after thinking about the reforms, I am not so sure… The report looked at the differences in pricing, satisfaction, and other things between large veterinary groups (LVGs, or corporate groups) and independent veterinarians; some of the differences are eye-opening. One of my observations here was about trust."

What’s next for UK vets?

The CMA order is expected to be finalized in September 2026. The first deadlines fall in December 2026 for larger businesses and March 2027 for smaller ones, covering price lists, pet care plan information, clinical freedom policies and cremation. Written estimates, itemized bills, and the prescription requirements follow in June 2026 for larger businesses and September 2027 for smaller. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will take on a new role in monitoring compliance.

Whether you're a UK practice preparing for the changes or a US practice watching from across the ocean, the CMA vet investigation has raised interesting questions about the industry. 

If you're in the first group, our CMA readiness checklist sets out what you need to do and by when. Get a full breakdown of the specific remedies and compliance timelines to follow.