Can I cold email? B2B rules by country

All countries / United Kingdom

Is B2B cold email legal in United Kingdom?

Yes, without prior consent when you write to a named person at a company. The same applies to generic addresses such as info@.

Named person at a company
jane.doe@company.co.uk
No consent needed
Generic company address
info@company.co.uk
No consent needed
Sole trader or personal mailbox
jane@gmail.com
Consent first

The PECR consent rule for email does not apply to corporate subscribers (companies, LLPs, public bodies). Sole traders and some partnerships count as individuals and need consent.

What you have to do

  • Do not disguise or conceal your identity
  • Give a valid address to opt out or unsubscribe, and honour opt-outs
  • If the address names a person (jane.doe@company.co.uk), UK GDPR still applies: you need a lawful basis and must respect objections
Checked against the law or regulator ยท checked 2026-10-10

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