Great Britain and Northern Ireland online retailers of veterinary medicines must now use two separate logos to verify their registration with the VMD. This initiative aims to make it easier for customers to identify registered online retailers and check their details on the VMD register, fostering informed purchasing decisions and maintaining confidence in the legitimate supply of veterinary medicines.
The previous voluntary Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) in Great Britain ended on 30 October 2026, and its logo is no longer valid. Businesses must replace the AIRS logo with the new VMD Registered Online Retailer logo. Any website selling veterinary medicines requiring a Registered Qualified Professional (RQP) must be registered with the VMD. Retailers must also provide a statement: “Registered Online Retailer of Veterinary Medicines” and a link to the VMD Register of Online Retailers on every part of the website where these medicines are offered for sale.
Under the Windsor Framework, Regulation (EU) 2019/6 applies in Northern Ireland. Businesses established there intending to sell veterinary medicinal products requiring an RQP must be registered with the VMD. These retailers must display the Northern Ireland common logo on every webpage where veterinary medicinal products are offered for sale.
The VMD has contacted all GB and NI online retailers with instructions and the appropriate logos. Retailers are strongly encouraged to display the logo prominently in the website footer to ensure it appears on every page. The new logo links directly to the VMD register, allowing customers to confirm retailer registration and find contact information for the VMD.
All businesses operating in Great Britain or Northern Ireland are urged to check their registration details, inform the VMD of any changes, display the correct logo for their market, and ensure the logo links correctly to the VMD Register of Online Retailers on both desktop and mobile versions of their websites. Retailers with multiple websites must ensure each is registered. Registration can be completed online at GOV.UK, with changes to registration details sent to inspections@vmd.gov.uk.
