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Spending Less in 2010?
Will your clients be spending less this year?
A new survey suggests that up to 52% plan to cut back on their spending habits this year compared to just 4% who vow to spend more money.

The research found that whilst 61% of consumers feel that the recent VAT increase is fair, almost half believe that they will notice an obvious change in retail pricing in 2010 and will cut down on spending accordingly.

41% of respondents consider it fair that retailers continue to absorb the 2.5% VAT increase, whereas just 29% think that retailers are suffering enough and shouldn’t have to shoulder the burden.

The areas where consumers believe raised prices will be most evident included grocery shopping (61%), holidays and hotels (50%) and restaurants and bars (39%). Surprisingly, most respondents expect to see considerably less impact on larger ticket items, such as technology products (30%) and furniture shopping (25%).

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.