Pet owners could be paying twice as much for commonly prescribed medicines from vet practices than they could pay online, a watchdog has found.
The Competition and Markets Authority, which has been investigating the sector since 2023, said price caps should be placed on prescriptions provided by vets to stop pet owners from being ripped off.
It found customers could be paying “hundreds of pounds more” for commonly prescribed medicines from vet practices than they could pay online.
It said vets should have a prescription fee cap of £16 and should be required to tell customers about savings they could make by buying medicines online.
Money blog: Here’s what major changes to vet prices could mean for you
“These measures will help prompt consumers to consider buying medication online and protect them from having to pay excessive prices for the prescriptions they would need to do so,” it said.
“Pet owners pay 16.6% more on average at large vet groups than at independent vets. For at least three of those large groups, average prices increased faster at practices they bought than at practices that remained independent.”
The CMA’s 21 proposed measures include:
• A requirement for vet businesses to publish comprehensive price lists
• Changes to make it easier for pet owners to access cheaper medicines online
• Requiring vets to give clear price information to pet owners arranging a cremation
• Giving pet owners clear price information when they are choosing a treatment, with prices in writing for treatments over £500 and itemised bills
“The current regulatory system is not fit for purpose. It only regulates individual veterinary professionals and not vet businesses, despite the majority of practices being part of a large corporate group,” the CMA report found.
Read more from Sky News:
Top climate advisers issue starkest warning yet
Royal Mail fined millions for failing to meet delivery targets again
Martin Coleman, chair of the…
