Price cap on vet prescriptions needed, demands watchdog
Andy Wells
15 October 2025 at 9:30 am
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A watchdog has called for price caps on vet prescriptions after an investigation found some pet owners could be paying twice as much for commonly prescribed medicines.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which launched its investigation into the veterinary sector in 2023, discovered that the medicines could be as much as double the price when purchased directly from vet clinics compared to online suppliers.
In some cases, this could mean pet owners are spending "hundreds of pounds more" than necessary, the CMA said.
The watchdog has now proposed capping vet-issued prescription fees at £16, while it also wants vets to clearly inform pet owners that they may find better prices for the same medications from online retailers.
The CMA report stated: "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."