Glossary
What is the soft opt in?
The soft opt in is a UK rule under PECR that lets a business send marketing email to an individual without fresh consent, if it got their details during a sale or negotiations for a sale, the marketing is about similar products, and the person was given a simple way to refuse at the time and in every message. It does not cover cold contacts.
Published by Sellinger AI. Numbers and settings checked on 24 October 2026 against the fact register. Report an error.
When does the soft opt in apply?
| Condition | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Details from a sale or negotiation | You got the contact while selling to them, or discussing a sale |
| Similar products | The marketing is about your own similar products or services |
| Chance to refuse | They could refuse when you collected the details |
| Refusal in every message | Each message gives a simple way to opt out |
Summary of PECR regulation 22 as described on our United Kingdom market page, read 19 October 2026.
What does it not cover?
Cold outreach to people you never sold to. A bought list. Marketing for other companies' products. And business contacts at companies, which PECR's consent rule does not cover in the first place, although UK GDPR still applies to named people. See PECR.
Did the rules change?
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 amended PECR regulation 22 from 5 February 2026, and the ICO notes its guidance is under review. Check the ICO's current pages before relying on any summary. This is not legal advice.
How Sellinger handles it
Cold email can carry an unsubscribe line and the standard one click unsubscribe headers (List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post). It is a per mailbox setting. When a contact replies with an opt out such as STOP or unsubscribe, in English, Bulgarian or German among other forms, the contact goes on the team's suppression list, the agent stops and the lead is closed out. A weak or unclear phrase never writes the permanent record: the agent stops and a person decides.
Common questions
Does the soft opt in apply to cold email?
Does the soft opt in apply to charities?
Do I still need an unsubscribe in every message?
Sources and method
PECR regulation 22 and ICO guidance, as summarised on the United Kingdom market page, read 19 October 2026. Sellinger behaviour from the fact register.
Related: PECR, Double opt in, United Kingdom market, Is cold email legal?.
