Calls for price cap on vet prescriptions as warning issued to pet owners

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"This follows the regulator's investigation into the 6.3 billion veterinary services market, prompted by concerns over its operational practices. The CMA identified market-wide issues that prevent consumers from benefiting from robust competition among veterinary businesses. Specifically, it noted that pet owners could be paying double for commonly prescribed medicines from vet practices compared to online retailers, leading to hundreds of pounds in extra costs."

The Independent funds on-the-ground journalism and relies on reader donations rather than paywalls to support balanced reporting and investigations. Donations enable journalists to interview multiple perspectives and produce investigative work and documentaries. The Competition and Markets Authority is proposing changes that could require veterinary practices to publish price lists and cap prescription costs after identifying issues in the £6.3 billion veterinary services market. The CMA found that pet owners may be overpaying for medicines, face difficulty comparing vet prices, often lack estimates for costly treatment courses, and that large vet groups charge about 16.6% more on average than independent vets.

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