Independent vet practices

In the UK vet market, "independent" means a practice not owned by one of the six corporate groups identified by the CMA. This includes:

• Sole-practitioner practices owned by a single vet.
• Partnerships owned by two or more vets, sometimes including non-vet partners with management or financial roles.
• Small regional groups owning a handful of practices but not part of a national consolidator.
• Charity practices (PDSA, Blue Cross, RSPCA, individual local charities) owned by the charity rather than a corporate parent.
• Cooperative or employee-owned practices (a small but growing model).

The CMA's 2024 market investigation found three notable differences:

Pricing. Independents commonly priced below corporate-owned practices on routine services — consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dental work. The pricing differential varies by service and location but was consistent across the investigation's sample.

Local autonomy. Independent practices set their own prices, supplier relationships, and clinical protocols. Corporate-owned practices commonly have these set or constrained at group level.

Continuity of care. Smaller independent practices commonly retain the same vets over longer periods, supporting continuity of care and the relationship between vet and pet owner.

The CMA's 2025 price-transparency order applies to every regulated UK vet practice, independent or corporate-owned. Independent practices must publish prices, state VAT inclusion, disclose dispensing fees, and inform pet owners of the right to a written prescription, on the same basis as corporate-owned practices. The ownership-disclosure remedy is more relevant to corporate-owned practices but independent practices must still disclose their independent status if asked.