Consumer Minister brings competition to pet and animal drugs market

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MEASURES to stimulate competition in the veterinary medicines market should lead to cheaper prices for pet owners, Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced recently.

Prescription charges - costing up to £30 a time - have been suspended for three years, and vets will have to display prices for a range of pet medicines in their waiting areas.

The changes will help encourage pet owners to shop around for the best prices, and end the stranglehold that veterinary surgeons have over where pet owners buy their medicines.
Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:

“The Competition Commission, after a thorough investigation, found that the market in veterinary medicines wasn’t working in the best interests of the consumer. Pet owners have usually been faced with a choice between buying their medicines directly from the vet, or paying a hefty prescription fee if they choose to buy them elsewhere.

“This removes both the incentive for consumers to shop around, and the incentive on retailers to stock veterinary medicines, and offer them at competitive prices.

“We don’t expect an instant solution from the measures we are announcing today, but by giving consumers the freedom to shop around, and by encouraging pharmacists and other outlets to enter the market, we expect a more competitive market to develop.

“Improving competition across all markets is good for consumers and good for business”.