Business
Response to CMA Summary Final Decision Report
CVS Group plc has responded to the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) final decision report regarding the veterinary services market, welcoming the certainty provided after over two and a half years of scrutiny. The CMA's final decision does not introduce new remedies beyond the provisional announcement, and CVS is comfortable with the workable remedies, including an increased fee cap of £21 for the first prescribed drug and an additional £12.50 for subsequent drugs. The company has already implemented price lists on its practice websites and jointly branded 117 companion animal practices, and expects to trade in line with market expectations. CVS anticipates discussing the practical implementation of remedies with the CMA before the Final Order is published later in 2026. Disclaimer*
About this update from Cvs Group Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\nFor Immediate Release 24 March 2026\nCVS Group plc\n(\"CVS\", the \"Company\" or the \"Group\")\n \nResponse to CMA Summary Final Decision Report\n \nCVS notes this morning's publication by the Competition and Markets Authority (\"CMA\") of the summary of its Final Decision Report in the veterinary services market investigation. The CMA is expected to publish its full Final Decision Report later today.\n \nCVS welcomes the certainty that this morning's announcement brings after more than two and half years of CMA scrutiny.\n \nThe CMA's final decision does not introduce any new remedies over and above those announced in its provisional decision. We are pleased to see that the CMA has considered our and the veterinary profession's feedback in amending the proposed fee cap on prescriptions with the cap now increased to £21 inclusive of VAT for the first drug prescribed, with the ability to charge an additional £12.50 for each additional drug prescribed at the same time. Whilst we continue to believe that some of these remedies are not fully justified, we are comfortable with them and believe they are workable. We already comply with many remedies and are well advanced in complying with others, with price lists published on our practice websites in late 2025 and 117 CVS UK companion animal practices already jointly branded.\n \nAs such, the Board expects the Group to continue to trade in line with market expectations.\n \nWhilst the remedies are now certain and will not change, we look forward to discussing the practical implementation of all remedies with the CMA prior to the publication of its Final Order later in 2026 which will bring these remedies into legal effect.\n \nContacts\nCVS Group plc &nbs...