Vets must publish prices and pet prescription fees to be capped at £21, watchdog says

The UK's competition watchdog has mandated that veterinary prescription fees be capped at £21 and required vets to publish price lists for their services. The measure aims to increase transparency and reduce costs for pet owners, who have faced unpredictable and sometimes steep charges for routine veterinary care. Vets will now be compelled to disclose pricing upfront, allowing customers to compare costs across clinics before seeking treatment. The cap on prescription fees specifically addresses a practice where some veterinary practices charged significantly above the cost of medications themselves, creating an additional financial burden on pet owners. The rules represent the watchdog's attempt to inject competition and fairness into a sector where pricing opacity has long frustrated consumers.