One of the best things about print is that it isn’t electronic!
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) and also PECR (Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations which may soon be updated by ePrivacy) are all making it harder to communicate electronically without the specific ‘opt-in’ of your audience.
Print, being non-electronic, means it does not require a specific opt-in agreement from your recipient, however you do still need to give your recipients an opt-out option, and manage that process well to avoid breach.
More importantly, you will also need to show there is a ‘legitimate interest’ in sending your recipient printed material you are planning to send them.
So what is a ‘legitimate interest’? We’ll point you to more authoritative links at the bottom of this article but, if you have spent time and money designing and printing a beautiful and relevant mailer to send to a perfectly targeted database, you probably have a ‘legitimate interest’.
Experience shows that few organisations intentionally post out pointless, untargeted and irrelevant mailings, not only is this a waste of your valuable resource…money, and you’ll probably not pass the ‘legitimate interest’ clause.
So, in general, if you need to send something that you feel needs sending, to someone who you think will be interested to receive it, and you can provide and manage an opt-out system, then print is still the way forward
Most importantly we are print providers and the above is just our opinion it is offered without liability and you must satisfy yourself about your organisations need for consent, legitimate interest and the wider GDPR requirements of how you manage your data and document your processes. Full and official information can be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office, further guidance can also be found at the DMA.
We are fully registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and if you wish to know more about our guidelines and procedures them please contact is for more detailed information