Independent polling of 2,001 UK pet owners shows that support for reclassification of over-the-counter (OTC) spot-on flea & tick treatments rises sharply with household income, while lower earners are more likely to stop treatment, seek alternatives, or reduce visits to local pet shops.
The independent research commissioned by Johnson's Veterinary Products Ltd found that restrictions would fall hardest on the pet owners least able to absorb the cost, while perhaps unsurprisingly, the households most likely to support reclassification are those most able to afford it.
The research, conducted by Censuswide among a nationally representative sample of 2,001 UK cat and dog owners in May 2026, reveals a striking split in attitudes toward reclassification by household income.
Among owners with household incomes under £15,000 a year, only 19.7% support requiring a veterinary consultation or specialist involvement before purchasing flea & tick treatments. Among those with household incomes over £75,000, that figure rises to 36%. Support for reclassification is almost twice as high among the highest earners as among the lowest.
When asked where they purchased flea & tick products, fewer than a third (31.28%) of respondents cited a veterinary practice, with an almost equal number (29.94%) buying treatments from pet shops and pet superstores.
Nick Franks, Director of Johnson's Veterinary Products Ltd (pictured above), said: "This data makes it very clear that those on lower incomes, those without easy access to a vet and those already stretched by the cost of living, the people likely to be most affected by reclassification changes away from AVM-GSL (over the counter), are strongly opposed to it.
“The people most comfortable with the idea of an extra consultation fee are those who can most easily afford one. This affordability concern is borne out in the behavioural data. Among the lowest-income group, only 59% of pet owners said they would continue treating their pets as usual if reclassification occurred, compared with 71% of those earning over £75,000. Nearly one in four pet owners said reclassification would cause them to treat their pets less frequently or stop altogether.”
Critically, 11.4% of lower-income owners said they would seek alternative products through other channels, potentially leading to unregulated sources, compared to just 5.3% of higher earners. Reclassification would drive the most financially vulnerable households toward the channels with the least oversight and the least responsible use guidance.
The research also reveals the extent to which this review is proceeding without public awareness. Two-thirds of UK cat and dog owners (67%) had no idea the Government was reviewing whether these products might require a veterinary consultation or specialist involvement before purchase.
The research reveals a threat to footfall at pet retailers that has received little public attention, with 43% of respondents saying they would visit their local pet shop less often or stop visiting altogether for pet care purchases if flea & tick treatments were no longer available there. For products that are an important part of a retailer’s product mix, the commercial consequences for independent retailers and high streets extend well beyond the product category itself.
At the national level, more than twice as many pet owners support continued open access with improved responsible use guidance (54%) as support reclassification requiring professional consultation (26%); a 2:1 ratio that is consistent across genders and replicated across almost every income bracket.
Johnson's Veterinary Products Ltd has called on the VMD and the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee to ensure that the equalities impact of any regulatory change is properly assessed before conclusions are drawn.
