Coming into force on 25 May this year, GDPR brings in new legislation about how companies can collect, store and use personal data. It affects all businesses and failing to meet the new requirements could result in large fines.

Route One said it hopes its new eBook will help print businesses to prepare for the changes so that they don’t get caught out.

“At Route One we really try and help print resellers’ businesses grow. A YouGov stat says 62% of businesses don't understand what GDPR means so we’ve put this eBook out to support them when the change comes into effect,” said marketing executive Christie Round.

“We wanted to offer an extra bit of support to our customers to help them prepare and to help them grow their businesses.”

Put together in-house by the Route One team, the eBook explores each element of GDPR, from how to collect personal data and gain true consent, to what rights the consumer has over their own data.

Each explanation comes with a breakdown of what it means for printers and a checklist of actions that need to be taken as a result.

The guide also looks at the opportunities GDPR could present to printers.

“With the regulations tightening around digital marketing, there is a big opportunity for businesses to turn to print as a medium,” said Round.

“It’s obviously still got regulations but they are a bit looser in terms of legitimate interests, so it’s another option that people can think of in terms of meeting their marketing goals.”

The eBook, which went live at the end of last week, has attracted more than 550 downloads to date. It can be downloaded at: bit.ly/route-one-gdpr.

Route One Print was founded in 2012 as part of the 272-staff Bluetree Group. The firm dispatches approximately 3,000 jobs daily from its 9,290sqm production hub in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

The business took on nearly 30 new staff last summer. This recruitment drive followed a £5m spend that included the installation of a new Heidelberg Speedmaster and a Fujifilm Jet Press.