27 May 2025
The Competition and Markets Authority has been urged to “think again” over its latest plans to reform the small animal veterinary sector.
James Westgate
Job Title
BVA president Elizabeth Mullineaux.
A package of remedies proposed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its ongoing investigation into the small animal veterinary sector has been described as “completely disproportionate” and “unworkable” by the BVA.
The CMA inquiry group published its list of potential remedies at the start of May, which included price control measures, standardised price lists, caps on prescription charges and a third party price comparison website.
Despite insistence from the regulator that its work remains ongoing, fears are growing the latest working paper could form the basis of the remedial package due to be announced once the formal investigation concludes.
The BVA has now issued its response to the proposals – in conjunction with the BSAVA, BVNA, SPVS and the VMG – and, while it accepts the CMA has attempted to recognise the “complexities” and “nuances” of the veterinary landscape, the statement raises a number of serious concerns.
BVA president Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “Given where this investigation started, it’s clear from many of these potential remedies that the Competition and Markets Authority has listened and has worked hard to understand the complexities of the veterinary landscape and how clinical services are delivered.
“It has rightly acknowledged the dedication of vet teams to the animals under their care and is now backing long overdue reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act, including the need for practice regulation.
“However, we have serious concerns that the proposed remedies are completely disproportionate, and in some cases simply unworkable.”
Dr Mullineaux claimed that if all the measures were implemented at the same time, the volume and complexity would place an unacceptable burden on vet practices and could jeopardise the viability of many businesses, particularly smaller independent practices.
She added: “This could have the unintentional consequence of reducing consumer choice and potentially increasing vet fees, which could in turn negatively impact animal health and welfare – precisely the opposite of what the CMA is trying to achieve.
“We’ve shared our concerns with the CMA on behalf of our members and the wider veterinary profession and have urged them to think again and come up with more targeted and proportionate measures. In some cases, these should be properly trialled and the impact on practices of all sizes fully assessed before any final decisions are made.”
Read the BVA’s full response to the CMA’s working papers here.
