Vet sector faces full CMA probe over ‘rip-off' claims

THE competition watchdog bit back at the vet sector today, saying pet owners could be left paying excessive bills for treatments after a wave of buyouts of independent practices.

- Daniel O’Boyle

The Competition and Markets Authority will launch a formal market investigation on the industry afte ran “unprecedented” 56,000 responses to its initial review, which launched in September.

CMA boss Sarah Cardell said the sheer volume of comments “shows the strength of feeling on this issue is high and why we were right to look into this”.

The full-scale probe means the regulator might take action “if it finds that competition is not working well”. That action could include requiring vet chains to display certain information to customers, capping prescription fees or ordering large vet chains to sell off some of their practices.

The body said it heard concerns about prices not being displayed on websites or made available until after treatment has happened, and customers “potentially overpaying for medicines”.