What UK GDPR and PECR requires#
PECR governs electronic marketing; the soft opt-in applies only to existing customers for similar products.
What email bounce handling is#
Bounce handling is the automated processing of delivery failure notices (DSNs) to classify hard versus soft bounces and suppress addresses accordingly.
Why it matters#
Repeatedly sending to invalid addresses is one of the strongest negative reputation signals providers track.
How email bounce handling supports UK GDPR and PECR compliance#
Regulators and recipients need to identify who sent a message and trust that opt-out mechanisms work. Email bounce handling contributes by repeatedly sending to invalid addresses is one of the strongest negative reputation signals providers track.
Implementation steps#
- Parse DSN codes: 5.1.x means the address does not exist (hard); 4.x.x means temporary (soft).
- Suppress hard bounces after one failure and soft bounces after three.
- Route bounce notifications to a monitored mailbox or webhook.
- Review bounce reasons weekly for patterns like 'blocked' that indicate reputation issues.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the difference between a hard and soft bounce?
Hard bounces are permanent failures (bad address). Soft bounces are temporary (full mailbox, server down). Suppress hard immediately.