PECR Explained for UK B2B Email Campaigns

PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns is a topic that causes confusion for many SME founders and marketing teams.

You may already understand that GDPR applies to personal data. But when it comes to sending marketing emails to other businesses, PECR is the regulation that often determines what you can and cannot do.

Many companies avoid outbound email altogether because they are unsure where the boundaries sit. Others assume that because they are emailing businesses rather than consumers, there are no rules at all. Neither position is accurate.

PECR, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, works alongside UK GDPR. GDPR governs how personal data is processed. PECR governs how electronic marketing is sent.

If you are running B2B email campaigns in the UK, understanding PECR is essential. It affects:

• Whether you need consent
• Who you can email
• What must be included in your message
• How you handle opt-outs

This guide will explain PECR in plain English. We will clarify how it applies to corporate subscribers, how sole traders are treated differently, how it interacts with legitimate interest, and what practical steps you should take to keep your B2B email campaigns compliant.

By the end, you should have a clear understanding of how PECR applies to UK B2B email campaigns and how to structure outreach responsibly.

What Is PECR?

Before going deeper, it is important to answer a simple question.

What is PECR?

PECR stands for the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. It is a UK law that governs how organisations send electronic marketing communications.

While UK GDPR focuses on how personal data is processed, PECR focuses on how marketing messages are delivered. It covers:

• Email marketing
• SMS marketing
• Telephone marketing
• Cookies and tracking technologies

For the purpose of this article, we are focusing on email.

If you are running B2B email campaigns, PECR determines whether you are allowed to send unsolicited marketing emails and what conditions must be met.

How PECR and GDPR Work Together

Many SMEs assume that GDPR covers everything. It does not.

The relationship is simple:

• GDPR governs the processing of personal data.
• PECR governs the sending of electronic marketing messages.

You must comply with both.

For example:

You might rely on legitimate interest under GDPR to process a decision-maker’s business email address.

However, you must still ensure that the email you send complies with PECR requirements.

They are separate layers of regulation.

Why PECR Exists

PECR was introduced to reduce nuisance marketing and protect individuals from intrusive electronic communications.

It recognises that electronic channels, particularly email and SMS, can be abused if left unregulated.

At the same time, it does not prohibit legitimate commercial communication between businesses.

The key is understanding how PECR applies differently depending on who you are contacting.

In the next section, we will examine the crucial distinction between corporate subscribers and individual subscribers, as this is where most compliance confusion begins.

Corporate Subscribers vs Individual Subscribers

To understand PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns, you must understand the difference between corporate subscribers and individual subscribers.

This distinction determines whether prior consent is required before sending a marketing email.

Corporate Subscribers

Corporate subscribers include:

• Limited companies
• Public limited companies
• Limited liability partnerships
• Most incorporated organisations

Under PECR, you can send unsolicited marketing emails to corporate subscribers without prior consent, provided you meet certain conditions.

Those conditions include:

• Clearly identifying your organisation
• Providing valid contact details
• Including a simple and accessible opt-out mechanism

This is why B2B email marketing to limited companies is generally permitted under UK law.

Consent is not automatically required.

However, transparency and opt-out rights are mandatory.

Individual Subscribers

Individual subscribers include:

• Sole traders
• Certain partnerships
• Private individuals

Under PECR, sole traders are treated similarly to consumers.

This means that unsolicited marketing emails to sole traders may require prior consent, unless another exemption applies.

This is where many SMEs make mistakes.

They assume that because they are emailing a business, consent is not required. But if that business is a sole trader, the legal position may be different.

Why This Distinction Matters

If your B2B email campaign primarily targets:

• Limited companies
• Incorporated businesses

PECR allows unsolicited marketing emails as long as you include proper identification and opt-out mechanisms.

If your list contains a significant number of sole traders, you need to assess your approach more carefully.

Understanding whether your audience consists of corporate subscribers or individual subscribers is one of the first compliance checks you should carry out before launching any campaign.

In the next section, we will examine exactly what PECR requires you to include in a compliant B2B marketing email.

What PECR Requires in a Compliant B2B Email

If you are running B2B campaigns, understanding PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns means knowing exactly what must be included in your message.

PECR does not require lengthy legal text inside every email. It requires clarity and transparency.

Here are the key requirements.

1. Clear Identification

Your email must clearly identify:

• The name of your organisation
• The person or business sending the message
• Valid contact details

Anonymous marketing emails are not compliant.

The recipient should immediately understand who is contacting them and how they can respond.

2. A Valid Contact Address

You must provide a valid contact address. This could include:

• A business email address
• A physical business address
• A telephone number

The purpose is transparency. The recipient should be able to contact you easily.

3. A Simple and Effective Opt-Out Mechanism

Every marketing email must include a way for the recipient to opt out of future communications.

This could be:

• An unsubscribe link
• A clear instruction to reply and request removal

The mechanism must work.

If someone unsubscribes, you must:

• Record the request
• Suppress their details from future campaigns
• Stop contacting them

Failure to honour opt-out requests is one of the most common compliance failures under PECR.

4. No Concealment of Identity

You must not disguise or conceal your identity.

This includes:

• Misleading sender names
• False subject lines
• Implying previous contact where none exists

Transparency is central to compliant outreach.

5. Suppression List Management

Once someone opts out, their details must be added to a suppression list.

A suppression list prevents accidental re-contact in future campaigns.

This is not optional. It is a core requirement of compliant B2B email marketing.

PECR compliance is less about complex legal language and more about professional standards.

Clear identity.
Working opt-out.
Honest communication.
Proper suppression.

In the next section, we will look at how PECR interacts with legitimate interest and GDPR in practical B2B campaigns.

How PECR Interacts With GDPR and Legitimate Interest

To properly understand PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns, you need to see how it fits alongside GDPR and legitimate interest.

Many SMEs assume one regulation replaces the other. It does not.

They work together.

PECR Regulates the Message

PECR governs whether you are allowed to send the marketing email and what must be included in it.

It focuses on:

• Consent requirements
• Corporate vs individual subscriber rules
• Opt-out mechanisms
• Transparency

If PECR allows you to send the email, that does not automatically mean you have satisfied GDPR.

GDPR Regulates the Data

GDPR governs how you process the personal data used in that email.

If your B2B campaign involves emailing a named individual at a company, you are processing personal data.

Under GDPR, you must:

• Identify a lawful basis
• Process the data fairly
• Keep it secure
• Respect data subject rights

In most B2B campaigns targeting corporate subscribers, the lawful basis relied upon is legitimate interest.

If you need a deeper explanation of how this works, read our guide on what is legitimate interest in B2B marketing.

The Two-Layer Compliance Model

Think of it like this:

Layer 1:
Are you allowed to send the email?
This is PECR.

Layer 2:
Are you allowed to process the individual’s personal data?
This is GDPR.

You must satisfy both layers.

Example Scenario

You purchase a list of Marketing Directors at UK limited companies.

You decide to send a targeted introduction email.

To comply properly:

• PECR allows unsolicited email to corporate subscribers if you include identification and opt-out.
• GDPR requires you to justify processing their personal data, usually via legitimate interest.

If you want a broader overview of how purchased data fits into the legal framework, see our guide on whether buying B2B data is legal in the UK.

Understanding this interaction removes much of the uncertainty around B2B outreach.

If you want a broader overview of the legal position beyond email, read our guide on whether buying B2B data is legal in the UK.

In the next section, we will examine common mistakes businesses make under PECR and how to avoid them.

Common PECR Mistakes in B2B Email Campaigns

Understanding PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns is one thing. Avoiding mistakes in practice is another.

Most compliance issues do not arise because a business misunderstood the law completely. They arise because small procedural standards were ignored.

Here are the most common mistakes.

1. Assuming “B2B” Means No Rules

Some businesses assume that because they are emailing companies rather than consumers, PECR does not apply.

It does.

Even when emailing corporate subscribers, you must:

• Identify yourself clearly
• Provide valid contact details
• Include an opt-out mechanism

Ignoring these basics increases both regulatory and reputational risk.

2. Poor Opt-Out Handling

Including an unsubscribe link is not enough.

You must ensure:

• The link works
• Requests are processed promptly
• Suppression lists are maintained
• Contacts are not accidentally re-added later

Repeatedly contacting someone who has opted out is one of the clearest PECR failures.

3. Not Checking Audience Type

As discussed earlier, sole traders are treated differently from corporate subscribers.

If your campaign includes a significant number of sole traders and you assume corporate rules apply across the board, you may expose yourself unnecessarily.

Before launching, check the composition of your list.

4. Misleading Subject Lines

PECR requires transparency.

Subject lines that imply:

• A previous relationship
• A referral that does not exist
• Artificial urgency

may undermine compliance and credibility.

Professional, accurate framing is safer and more sustainable.

5. Failing to Coordinate Channels

If someone opts out of email marketing, you should consider whether they should also be suppressed from related campaigns.

Disjointed systems create accidental re-contact.

Integrated CRM and suppression processes reduce this risk.

6. Treating Compliance as an Afterthought

Launching first and fixing compliance later is a common mistake.

Before any campaign, you should have:

• A defined email template
• A tested unsubscribe mechanism
• A suppression process
• A clear understanding of your audience type

PECR compliance is not complicated. It requires process discipline.

In the next section, we will outline a practical checklist you can use before sending your next B2B email campaign.

A Practical PECR Checklist for UK B2B Email Campaigns

If you want PECR explained for UK B2B email campaigns in practical terms, the simplest way to apply it is through a pre-send checklist.

Before launching your next campaign, review the following.

1. Confirm Your Audience Type

Ask:

• Are we emailing limited companies or incorporated organisations?
t=”370″ data-end=”373″ />>• Are there sole traders in this list?
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Knowing who you are contacting determines whether unsolicited email is permitted.

2. Check Your Email Template

Ensure your template includes:

• Your company name
• A valid contact address
• A working unsubscribe link or opt-out instruction
• Clear branding

Test the unsubscribe function before going live.

3. Review Your Suppression Process

Confirm that:

• Unsubscribed contacts are recorded immediately
• Suppression applies across future campaigns
• Your CRM prevents accidental re-contact

A suppression failure is one of the most avoidable compliance errors.

4. Align With Your Privacy Notice

Your website should clearly explain:

• What data you process
• Why you process it
• How individuals can object

Your email outreach should align with this policy.

5. Coordinate With GDPR Obligations

PECR does not replace GDPR.

If you are emailing named individuals, ensure you have identified a lawful basis for processing their data.

In most B2B scenarios, this is legitimate interest. For a detailed explanation, see our guide on what is legitimate interest in B2B marketing.

6. Document Your Campaign Rationale

Keep a short internal record covering:

• Target audience
• Commercial purpose
• Frequency of contact
• Suppression handling

This strengthens your compliance position if questions arise.

When these steps are in place, PECR compliance becomes a routine operational standard rather than a barrier to outreach.

In the final section, we will summarise the key points clearly and concisely.