CMA launches investigation into 17 Medivet practice acquisitions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into the acquisition of 17 veterinary businesses across the UK by Medivet.

Initial enforcement orders have been served in relation to each of the operations, which run at least 25 practices between them.

The affected practices include six sites in West Sussex, six in Greater London and four in Oxfordshire, plus other locations in County Antrim, County Durham, Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire and North Lincolnshire.

Entities

The orders, which have now been published on the CMA’s website, say the body has “reasonable grounds for suspecting” that Medivet and the practices concerned are, or may no longer be distinct entities.

The investigation process will, therefore, examine whether “a relevant merger situation has been created and whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition in any market or markets”.

The businesses affected by the inquiry are as follows:

• All Creatures Clinic Limited
• Barton Companion Animal Services Limited
• Caddy Country Practice Limited
• Canine Healthcare Limited (t/a Vet Value)
• E Street Limited (t/a Elizabeth Street Veterinary Clinic)
• Ferring Street Vets Limited
• Fitzalan House Veterinary Practice Ltd
• The Hackney Vet Limited
• The assets and business of the veterinary practice under the name Hollies Veterinary Surgery
• The assets and business of the veterinary practice under the name Iffley Vets
• I T Kalogera Holdings Ltd (including its subsidiary I T Kalogera Limited) (t/a Brockwell Vets)
• Monument Vets Ltd
• The Oxford Cat Clinic Limited
• Stanhope Park Veterinary Hospital Limited
• The assets and businesses of the veterinary practices under the name The Vet on Richmond Hill and The Vet in St Margaret’s
• The Vet Station Limited
• Withy Grove Veterinary Clinic Limited

Investigation

All of the acquired businesses are required to conduct their business separately from Medivet while the investigation takes place.

The announcement comes two months after the CMA issued initial enforcement orders in relation to the acquisition of eight veterinary businesses by IVC Evidensia.

Formal merger inquiries in that case were launched shortly before Christmas and initial decisions on how they may proceed are currently expected to be announced next month.

Vet Times has approached Medivet for comment, but has yet to receive a response.