Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the British Veterinary Association (Vet 38a)
Further to my oral evidence to EFRA Committee
regarding the Veterinary Surgeons Act, I am writing to you regarding
a question which was posed by David Taylor MP. Mr Taylor requested
information on the proportion of income which veterinary practices
derive from the promotion or sale of pet food.
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to source
any meaningful data on this matter.
However, I have been able to obtain information
on the pet food market as a whole which may be of interest to
you; Pet Food Manufacturers Association figures value the pet
food market in the UK at £1.7 billion, of which approximately
£110 million is channelled through veterinary practices.
As I'm sure you will appreciate, this is a very small proportion
of the total market.
As I outlined during my evidence to the Committee,
veterinary practices sell pet food and other dietary products
because they judge them to be useful to their clients. Commercial
pet foods provide well prepared, scientifically based, nutritionally
acceptable diets and have made a significant contribution to improving
the wellbeing and longevity of companion animals in the UK.
Should you require further information regarding
any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me.
J D Blayney, President
British Veterinary Association
April 2008
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