Security News > 2022 > September > Halfords slapped on wrist for breaching email marketing laws

Bike and car accessory retailer Halfords has found itself in the wrong lane with Britain's data watchdog for sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited marketing emails to members of the public.

The decision relates to a direct marketing mailer that Halfords sent electronically on July 28, 2020 concerning a 'Fix Your Bike' government voucher scheme.

This gave recipients up to £50 toward the cost of repairing a cycle in any approved retailer in the UK. Unsurprisingly, Halfords' marketing email urged the individuals to book a free bike assessment and redeem their voucher in store, meaning this was marketing designed to generate income for the company.

Under electronic marketing rules, legitimate interest cannot be used as a genuine alternative to consent - yet a soft opt-in does allow marketeers to dispatch emails to customers whose details were taken when they bought something or negotiated a service.

The ICO said that in the case of Halfords, customers that received the marketing material had previously ticked the box about not being contacted again.

"Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said in a statement:"It is against the law to send marketing emails or texts to people without their permission.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/09/08/halfords_ico_email_breach_pecr_fine/