CMA remedies are now law: How to make transparency work for your vet practice
It’s official. After more than two-and-a-half years of investigation, headlines and head-scratching, the CMA’s veterinary remedies are now legally enforced. The orders were published at the end of September and the debate about what might happen has finally become a to-do list of what must happen.
At R&Co Communications, we live and breathe veterinary comms, so we’ll say what many of you are thinking – it’s a relief to be able to move forward.
The investigation has hung over the profession for a long time and we know many practices have spent that time quietly doing excellent work while the national press painted with what can only be described as a very broad brush.
Now the brush has (hopefully!) been put down, there’s a rare opportunity to pick up and lead the narrative. Practices that communicate the changes well won’t just be compliant, they’ll be those which clients trust.
The CMA orders: What’s changed and when?
As reported by Vet Times, the orders have now come into force, with measures being phased in over the coming months. Larger veterinary businesses have until December 23, 2026, to deliver the first phase, which centres on publishing price lists, written policies and processes. Further requirements follow through 2027 and smaller practices have been given a little more time on several measures.
In broad terms, the package means practices need to:
- Publish prices for common services and medicines
- Offer written prescriptions and signpost clients to the VMD register
- Be clear about the cost of prescriptions, with a cap on the fee
- Display who owns the practice
- Provide written estimates for higher-cost treatment, plus itemised bills
The BVA’s view was that many practices are already complying with a lot of the measures, which brings us neatly to the point of this blog.
Compliance is only half the job
So, here’s the thing. Putting a price list on your website or a poster in your waiting room ticks a box, of course. However, it doesn’t tell your clients why you do things the way you do, what they get for their money or that a practice is actually happy to be open about it.
The orders will also put some new, and occasionally blunt, messaging in front of clients, including notices which point out that medicines may be cheaper elsewhere.
If practices say nothing, that message will be the only one they hear. If you get ahead of it, you can add context, warmth and the human side of your practice.
The CMA’s own aim, in the words of its inquiry chair, is to improve trust in the sector. Trust is built through communication – and that’s where we come in.
How to use communications to your advantage
Here is our practical guide to making the most of the next few months, calling on our extensive specialist knowledge in veterinary PR and marketing, social media and SEO.
PR: Tell your story before someone else does
Transparency lands best when it’s framed by you. Try crafting a consumer-focused story around the changes – a client letter or email explaining your new price list, local press and media relations to subtlety show your good work and success stories via compelling and interesting case studies. Meanwhile, if you’re independent, shout about it! Many clients still assume every practice is part of a corporate group, so be clear about who you are, who owns you and why you’re proud of it, which can be done via celebrations of staff achievements, new appointments or investments which show your treatment is leading the industry.
Social media: Make openness feel human
A price list on its own is a spreadsheet. A vet or vet nurse explaining what’s included in a consultation, or what a typical neutering estimate looks like, is the kind of content people actually watch and share. Plan simple, regular social media content such as short videos, team introductions and ‘you asked, we answered’ posts about costs and prescriptions, so you lead the conversation instead of reacting to it. It also gives your team a ready-made, consistent way to respond when clients comment, ask questions or compare you to the online pharmacies.
SEO: Be the answer when pet owners go looking
The CMA wants pet owners to shop around, which means more of them will be searching online. ‘How much is a vet consultation in XXXXX?’ is about to become a much bigger search. Make sure your website is built to answer it, with clear, well-structured pricing pages, an ownership statement, FAQs on prescriptions and estimates, and an up-to-date Google Business Profile. Done properly, your transparency content doesn’t just keep you compliant. It helps new clients find you, and trust you, before they’ve even picked up the phone.
Reputation repair: For practices that feel the sting
If the negative coverage has already left a mark, whether in reviews, comments or the odd frosty first appointment, we can help. We audit your online presence, spot vulnerabilities and put a recovery plan in place so what people find when they search for you reflects the truth of your care. Our resources on how to prepare for and handle a PR crisis or social media storm are a good place to start.
Your quick-win checklist
If you only do five things this month, make them these:
- Find out which measures apply to you and when they start
- Update your website with clear, easy-to-find pricing and ownership information
- Brief your front-of-house team so everyone answers cost questions confidently and consistently
- Tell clients about the changes yourself, by email, newsletter and social media, before they find out from a poster
- Check your Google Business Profile and review responses are up to date
A fresh start for veterinary trust
The CMA investigation has been a tough chapter for the profession, but it’s a chapter that’s now closed. The practices that thrive in the next one will be those that treat transparency as something to be proud of, not something to be tolerated.
At R&Co Communications, we’ve worked alongside the veterinary profession for decades. We know the skill and compassion that goes into what you do and we’d love to help your clients, old and new, see it, too.
If you’d like to get ahead of the deadlines, and the headlines, let’s have a conversation. Contact us today to find out how our team of veterinary specialists can help support you.
