What "secure" should actually mean
A reasonable definition: your documents are not seen by anyone outside the shop, not stored on the shop's systems longer than needed to complete the job, delivered to you through a channel only you can access, and disposed of properly if they aren't returned.
Questions worth asking before you hand over paperwork
- Who handles the documents — is it one named person, or passed around?
- Where are digital files stored, and for how long?
- How will final files be delivered — USB, email, secure link?
- What happens to the originals if you don't collect within a set period?
A shop that can answer these clearly is likely to handle your data properly.
GDPR and personal data
If you're scanning documents with personal data (customer records, HR files, medical notes), you have GDPR obligations regardless of whether the shop is the controller or processor. Ask for a simple data-processing statement. For regulated work, get it in writing.
Practical steps on your side
- Bring a clean USB stick for delivery
- Ask for files to be deleted from the shop's scanner after transfer
- If delivery is by email, use a password-protected ZIP and send the password on a separate channel
- Don't use public WiFi to receive sensitive scans — use your phone's hotspot
In short
We treat every document as confidential by default, delete files from our systems after delivery, and are happy to answer any data-handling questions before you book.
Published 15 April 2026 by the Copy Shop Putney team. Shop 395-A, Tildesley Rd, Putney Heath, London SW15 3BD.