PECR, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, is UK law governing electronic marketing and privacy in communications. It sets rules for activities such as marketing calls, emails, and texts, including when consent is required and how people can opt out. PECR works alongside data protection law, including the UK GDPR.
For organizations, PECR matters because contact details alone do not make every marketing message lawful. For example, businesses making promotional calls must screen numbers against applicable preference services, such as the Telephone Preference Service, and honor objections. In real-world operations, accurate consent records, suppression lists, and auditable screening before campaigns help prevent unwanted calls and regulatory enforcement. These controls address compliance risk; a PECR violation is not, by itself, evidence of a cyber intrusion or data breach.