The CMA has fired the starting gun. Here’s how independents win the transparency race.
Independent vets have never had a better story to tell - now you’ve got to tell it, prove it and price it.
On 15 October 2025, the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) set out a provisional remedy package to fix what it calls weak competition in the UK vet market. The headlines: publish comprehensive price lists, say who owns you, give itemised bills and written estimates for treatments £500+, default to written prescriptions for repeat meds with a £16 cap on the script fee, put medicine price options in plain sight, make cremation pricing clear, and feed data into an upgraded RCVS “Find a Vet” so pet owners can actually compare you. Consultation closes 12 November 2025; a final decision is due by March 2026 (statutory deadline 22 May 2026).
The CMA’s numbers should focus minds. Average vet prices rose 63% (2016–2023); commonly prescribed medicines are often about twice the online price; and pet owners pay ~16.6% more on average at large vet groups (LVGs) than at independents. The CMA is explicit: the inquiry is into businesses, not individual vets, and modern regulation should include vet businesses, not just professionals.
This isn’t just compliance. It’s your positioning.
Two futures for UK first‑opinion practice
Future A – “Hide and hope.” You’ll look like everyone else - especially the corporates the CMA says are dearer on average. And when “Find a Vet” starts surfacing clean price data, you’ll lose on first impression before you ever get a phone call.
Future B – “Radically transparent.” Publish a proper price list with scope and notes. Make ownership crystal clear. Offer scripts by default and explain how to save on medicines without being asked. Give written estimates for likely £500+ cases and itemised bills every time. Then you market it on your website, Google Business Profile and in practice. That builds the very trust the CMA says is missing, and it plays to the independent advantage because most of you are doing it.
What the CMA’s package really means for independents
Your margin mix will shift by design. Expect less income from prescriptions and some high‑margin dispensary lines as default scripts and the £16 cap bite. Move value into skilled time: triage, consults, nurse‑led care, diagnostics, dentistry, imaging, and well‑communicated surgical bundles. The CMA wants owners told openly that online may be cheaper; lean into it and get credit for honesty.
Price becomes a storefront, not a secret. You’ll publish a comprehensive price list and contribute to a comparison‑enabled Find a Vet. That’s an opportunity for independents to stand out on clarity, not race the corporates on loss‑leaders. The CMA wants third‑party sites to use this data too—so assume your prices will travel.
Care plans must earn their keep. You’ll need to show what’s in the plan, the standalone value, and how “savings” are calculated. If your plan isn’t genuinely good value, re‑price or re‑scope it.
End‑of‑life conversations get structure. Clear options and pricing for communal vs individual cremation, so clients can choose without pressure at a difficult time. Train the team accordingly.
OOH flexibility improves. The CMA’s direction of travel is to make terminating restrictive out‑of‑hours contracts easier so practices can switch to better options. That increases your leverage in negotiations.
A straight‑talking 90‑day plan (start now, provisional or not)
Days 0–30: Build the truth
Price inventory: Standardise charges for consults, common diagnostics, routine surgeries and preventives. Note inclusions/exclusions and VAT.
Ownership disclosure: One sentence on every page of your website and a sign at reception: “We are an independent, locally owned practice.” (Or the precise group you’re part of, no waffle.)
Prescription protocol: Default offer of written prescription for repeat meds; £16 fee; set turnarounds (paper by end of consult; digital same day). Write the client explainer and staff script.
Estimates & billing: Auto‑trigger a written estimate for foreseeable £500+ cases; itemised bills by default.
Days 31–60: Publish and train
Website: Create a clear prices page with scope notes; add a short “Medicines: how to save” explainer; publish care plan breakdowns; add cremation options and prices.
Client comms: Add a line about prescriptions and online options to invoices, SMS reminders and chronic‑care handouts.
Team: Train everyone to present clinical options and costs without flinching; document your independent, impartial advice policy.
Days 61–90: Wire in the comparison era
RCVS data readiness: Structure your price/ownership/service data so it can feed Find a Vet the moment the system goes live.
OOH audit: Benchmark alternatives and readiness to switch when terms allow.
Complaints route: Publish a simple process, maintain a log, and treat complaints as insight, not risk.
Pricing that earns trust
Principles to adopt immediately:
Charge properly for professional time. If meds margin softens, consults and procedures must reflect the expertise, kit and risk involved. The CMA wants owners to decide with prices in view - so show the value with them.
Use ranges and scope notes. “Dental: from £X” is useless. “Scale & polish (no extractions): typical range £A–£B; includes GA, IV fluids, polish, radiographs; excludes extractions which average £C–£D/tooth.” That’s comparable and fair.
Bundle for clarity, unbundle for consent. Present complete care pathways (e.g., “cruciate - diagnose to discharge”) as packages and show line items in the consent/estimate so clients see choices.
Marketing in a world where prices are public
Lead with independence. The CMA has highlighted higher average prices at LVGs; you don’t need to shout about them, just be clear about who you are and let your prices speak. Then tell your story: continuity, clinical leadership, community roots.
Turn transparency into content. Blog posts and reels on “How written prescriptions work”, “When online is cheaper (and when it isn’t)”, “What’s in a care plan?” that’s trust‑building, not revenue‑leaking.
Own your “Find a Vet” profile. When pricing data appears there, your website and Google profile must match. No broken links, no stale PDFs.
Hard truths (that favour independents)
Pet owners don’t want surprises. Itemised bills and written estimates for £500+ aren’t red tape; they’re how you eliminate friction and reduce complaints.
If you look like a corporate, you’ll be judged like one. Clear ownership is now a hygiene factor. Independents should wear it on their sleeve.
The opportunity in one sentence
Trust is going to be measurable and visible. The practices that publish, explain and respect choice will grow. Those that hide will shrink.
If you’re an independent and you want to get ahead of the order, pricing page built, prescription communications written, estimate and billing templates sorted, team trained, start now. The CMA has set the direction; you decide how fast you move.
Sources
CMA press release (15 Oct 2025): 21 measures; £16 prescription cap; £500+ written estimate; “Find a Vet” with pricing data; 63% price rise; ~16.6% LVG premium; medicines often ~2× online; focus on businesses, not individuals; final decision by March 2026; consultation closes 12 Nov 2025. GOV.UK
Summary of Provisional Decision (PDF): detailed rationale; transparency, medicines, complaints, OOH switching and regulatory reform themes. GOV.UK+2GOV.UK+2
CMA case page: official timeline (provisional decision 15 Oct 2025; response hearings Nov–Dec 2025; final decision Feb–Mar 2026; statutory deadline 22 May 2026). GOV.UK
We represent independent vets. If you want this turned into your practice’s public‑facing “Transparency & Value” page with clean pricing, estimates/billing policy, prescription explainer and cremation options, say the word and we’ll build it.
