The enforcement of the law on direct marketing has always been a key priority area for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The ICO’s published stance on regulatory action is to continue to adopt a risk-based approach, focussing on the areas of highest risk and most harm to individuals(1). Direct marketing breaches fall squarely in this category, given that unwarranted marketing calls and other direct marketing breaches often have a real impact on individuals and their privacy, ranging from annoyance to the significant distress which can result from persistent nuisance calls and text messages, particularly when elderly and vulnerable people are targeted.