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In one of the finest pieces of investigative journalism since Watergate, the erstwhile-criminal-law-barrister-cum-tv-reporter Robert Rinder discovered that he could buy a wormer for his dog from some online retailer for half the price that he'd bought it at his veterinary practice.
Incensed by his discovery that things can cost less online, Mr Rinder then asked a handful of pet owners whether they could recall seeing a sign at their practice to advise them that they could buy things cheaper elsewhere.
None could. But then I'll bet if he asked whether they could remember a sign for the toilet, they'd have struggled.
Still, by now certain they'd found evidence that pet owners are being 'fleeced', Watchdog then rang 70 practices to ask for the price of some common drugs and then compared them to the prices being offered by online retailers.
Their research confirmed the awful truth. Some places really do charge more than others.
Honestly, who, in a million years, would have guessed?
BBC Watchdog (piece starts at 42:25).
PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.
This just in, things are cheaper online! Also just in, the Sky is Blue and Grass is Green. Complete Tosh this "Expose" was, didn't say anything that wasn't common knowledge and portrayed it with more slant than a triangle.
I can confirm that this awful truth is accurate. And it’s not just drugs. I went to Tesco yesterday to buy bread, and had to stop in a co op on the way home. Their bread was more expensive! And they we not advertising that Tesco bread cost less!!! How do they sleep at night!!!!
mentioned on line pharmacies are buying in bulk so able to sell at lower prices but missed out that vets can and do charge for a prescription so to be accurate the true price would be the cost of the product online plus the cost of the prescription fee where charged. Also totally missed out that vet practices largely buy through wholesalers which means the cost to the practice is usually much greater than any online pharmacy before the practice even makes a mark up. All in all this program is as misleading to its viewers as some of the rogue traders it investigates - but what else do you expect from the BBC. The one point I will agree with them on is that some practices do take it to the outer limits on how much they charge, and that does nobody any favours.