The British Veterinary Association (BVA), which represents 19,000 individual members across the UK, has responded as the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) publishes its Final Orders following two and half years of investigation into veterinary services for household pets.
The Final Orders come into effect from Tuesday 22 September 2026, with remedies coming into force in the coming months. More information can be found here – Veterinary services for household pets
British Veterinary Association President Dr. Rob Williams FRCVS said: “The last few years have been extremely difficult for the profession and so with the publication of the CMA’s Final Orders we can finally start to move forward.
“We’ll need to scrutinise the details but at first glance vet practices are for the most part already complying with many of the measures. It’s fantastic to see that following strong pushback from BVA, the CMA has listened to our concerns and significantly amended the wording and design of its client notice about medication and prescriptions, which we know was a huge worry for the profession. This positive step is a direct result of BVA’s ongoing engagement with the CMA which has resulted in an overall set of ’remedies’ that is more proportionate, workable and fairer for both vets and clients, compared to the CMA’s original recommendations in early 2024.
“Whilst the publication of the Final Orders marks the end of the investigation, this is just the beginning for vet teams as they start to implement the changes. BVA members can access a wide range of resources on the BVA website to help them understand and comply with the Orders.”
To find out more visit BVA’s dedicated CMA webpage www.bva.co.uk/cma