Vet Pricing Transparency - legal update.
On 22 September 2026, the Competition and Markets Authority published the Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026, making the outcome of its two and a half year investigation into veterinary pricing legally binding. It is a significant moment for pet owners and vet practices alike, and while it does not regulate the businesses our members run, it says a lot about where the wider animal sector is heading.
Why this Order exists
The CMA began looking into the veterinary market for household pets back in 2023, following growing concern about pricing and competition. Its investigation ran for two and a half years and drew a record 56,000 responses to its initial consultation. The final report concluded that pet owners were often paying more than they should, without enough information to make confident choices about their pet's care. This Order is how the CMA is putting its findings into practice.
What is changing
The Order introduces several new legal requirements for first-opinion vet practices in the UK:
Published price lists. Practices must publish clear prices for their most commonly used services, including consultations, routine procedures and end-of-life care.
A cap on prescription fees. Written prescriptions are capped at £21 for the first medicine, and practices must tell clients when a cheaper option may be available elsewhere, including online.
Written estimates for bigger treatments. Any treatment expected to cost £500 or more requires a written estimate upfront, including aftercare, followed by an itemised bill once treatment is complete.
Advance pricing for emergencies. Pet owners should know what an out-of-hours or emergency visit will cost before they commit to it.
Equal footing for end-of-life choices. Options such as home burial and cremation must be presented equally, with prices given before a decision is made.
Ownership transparency. Practices must be open about who owns them, so pet owners know whether they are dealing with an independent business or part of a larger corporate group.
When it takes effect
The rules are law from today, but compliance is being phased in. Larger veterinary groups must meet the first requirements by 23 December 2026, while smaller, independent practices have longer to put the changes in place.
Where this leaves the rest of the pet sector
This Order regulates veterinary practices specifically. It does not create new legal obligations for dog walkers, groomers, home boarders, catteries or animal encounter providers.
What it does show is a clear direction of travel. Pet owners are being given a legal right to transparent pricing, clear information and honesty about who they are trusting with their animal's care. Once that becomes the norm in one corner of the sector, it tends to shape what people expect everywhere else too. Openness about pricing, clarity about who is behind a business, and confidence that a professional is operating to a recognised standard are exactly the things that build trust, whatever corner of the pet industry you work in.
Our take
This is a good moment to reflect on how your own business communicates with clients. Are your prices clear? Do people know who they are booking with and what standards you work to? Members who can already answer yes to these questions are ahead of a trend that is only going to grow.
We will continue to track how this Order beds in, alongside Defra's separate White Paper on wider veterinary regulation, and will keep members updated on anything that touches the pet services sector directly.
Raising standards together means paying attention to the whole sector, not just our part of it.
