The supplier will manage the print and fulfilment for the health charity as it attempts to encourages 9m people to participate in the project over the next three-and-a-half years.

Stralfors UK group managing director John Carter said: "This is a major medical research project requiring an enormous amount of communication during the study period."

He added: "It is important to UK Biobank that they work with suppliers who have ISO accreditations including the ISO 14001 environmental certifications and ISO 27001 data security certification."

Stralfors will print work on a range of Océ and Xerox mono laser printers and colour digital machines and mailings will be sent daily.

UK Biobank chief executive Dr Tim Peakman said: "This is an important research project and we needed a supplier who was reliable and cost-effective."

The group aims to recruit 500,000 people aged between 40-69 to build a health resource to aid the prevention and treatment of serious diseases.