CMA final guidance
What the CMA expects veterinary practices to do
The CMA finished the investigation and published its final report on 24 March 2026. This page focuses on the confirmed direction of travel and the timings pet owners and practices should watch.
Next step
Read the rules here, then compare actual prices near you.
Guidance explains the transparency standard. The comparison journey remains the practical route for checking local consultation and treatment pricing.
What changed
Clearer price lists, ownership disclosure, prescription rules, written estimates, and itemised billing.
What to watch
The order-making phase and phased compliance dates through 2026 and 2027.
Best next move
Use comparison after reading when you want real local pricing signals rather than policy context.
Summary of final remedies
- Publish clear price lists for defined services, including consultations, diagnostics, prescriptions, and cremation options.
- Show ownership information clearly online, on signage, and in communications where practices are part of a group.
- Tell clients that written prescriptions are available and cap prescription fees at GBP21 for the first medicine and GBP12.50 for extras from the same consultation.
- Provide written estimates for treatment pathways likely to cost GBP500 or more, followed by itemised bills.
What practices should prepare
The CMA's business guidance groups the changes into ownership and price transparency, treatment information, medicines, out-of-hours arrangements, cremation options, and complaints. Larger businesses generally face earlier deadlines, so group-owned practices should expect website, signage, estimate, prescription, and complaint-process updates before smaller independents.
Main action
When you finish with the policy context, move into comparison to see the best available local price view.
Open comparisonTimeline
24 March 2026
Final report published and remedies package confirmed.
September 2026 (planned)
Substantive remedies order and RCVS undertaking expected to be finalised.
December 2026 – September 2027
Phased compliance rollout, with larger groups generally changing first.
Useful routes
Related CMA reference pages
Investigation background, remedies detail on this page, and primary GOV.UK documents for verification.
Investigation timeline
CMA veterinary market investigation
How consolidation, pricing concerns, and the 2023 referral led to the March 2026 final report and remedies.
Read moreRemedies & rollout
CMA guidance for vet practices
Plain-English summary of price lists, prescription caps, written estimates, ownership disclosure, and compliance dates.
Read morePrimary documents
Official CMA sources
Direct links to GOV.UK case files, the final report, business guidance, and implementation timetable PDFs.
Read more