CMA Softens Vet Ownership Rules Amid Legal Threats

The Competition and Markets Authority updated ownership disclosure rules for veterinary practices following an investigation into the 6.3 billion pound market. The regulator found that pet owners pay an average of 16.6 percent more at large corporate vet groups than at independent practices, concluding that the sector lacks sufficient transparency and competition.

While the regulator and government ministers initially proposed requiring the disclosure of corporate vet groups and capping prescriptions at 21 pounds, the final rules softened the disclosure requirements. Companies may now list a brand name or a network or group rather than the ultimate parent company. The regulator maintains that recognizable brand names are more meaningful to consumers than unrecognizable corporate parent names.

The Progressive Veterinary Association has threatened a judicial review over these changes. The association argues that the softened language allows multinational private equity firms to obscure their control over local clinics. Director Iain McGill stated that the rules are bad news for pet owners and their animals, claiming that large corporations will be allowed to operate behind misleading brand names.