By bizn_fun 
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the CMA’s Martin Coleman said veterinary prices had increased by 63% over a seven year period, which was nearly twice the rate of inflation.
“Many people were twice what they needed to for vet medicines,” Mr Coleman said.
“It’s not right to keep pet owners in the dark about key matters that affect them and their pets and their pockets.
“We’re often not being told up-front basic information such as who owns the practice, the price of commonly used services, and we’re not often given estimates of the likely price of treatment costing hundreds, even thousands of pounds.”
The CMA also found practices owned by large vet groups charge 16.6% more on average than independent vets.
Mr Coleman said the regulatory system was set up in 1966, “when the world of veterinary services was very different to the world that we have today.”
“There is regulation of individual vets, but there is no regulation of the businesses that own the majority of the practices in the country,” Mr Coleman said.
Wednesday’s findings into the £6.3bn sector are provisional, with interested parties now having until next month to make submissions before a final decision is published next year.