Northolt Florist GDPR Privacy Policy Information

Privacy Policy for Northolt Florist Customers

This Privacy Policy sets out how Northolt Florist collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws. This policy applies to all customers placing orders with Northolt Florist from Northolt and the surrounding districts.

1. What Data We Collect

When you order flowers or other products from Northolt Florist, we may collect the following categories of personal data as relevant to your interaction with our business:

• Identity Data: Name, surname, and, when applicable, name of recipient.
• Contact Data: Delivery address, billing address, telephone number(s), and, where relevant, email address.
• Order and Transaction Data: Details about products and services you purchase or request, payment details (e.g., payment confirmation, but not full card details), order notes, and delivery instructions.
• Correspondence Data: Records of your communications with us, such as customer service inquiries or feedback.
• Technical Data: Automatically collected information about your device and usage of our website, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, pages viewed, and cookies, where applicable.

We do not intentionally collect special categories of personal data (such as health information, race, or religious beliefs) for the purposes of fulfilling floral orders.

2. Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

Northolt Florist processes your personal information only where we have a legal basis to do so under GDPR. The lawful bases for processing personal data in our business include:

• Contractual Necessity: To process and deliver your order and to provide related customer services.
• Legal Obligation: To comply with UK law, such as maintaining financial records for HMRC.
• Legitimate Interest: To develop our products and services, prevent fraud, and improve customer experience, provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
• Consent: Where required, such as for direct marketing communications. You may withdraw consent at any time.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To fulfil and manage your orders, including processing payment and arranging delivery.
• To communicate with you regarding your purchase, delivery arrangements, or to resolve customer service issues.
• To maintain accurate business and financial records as required by law.
• To improve our products, services, and customer experience.
• To detect and prevent fraud or misuse of our services.
• If you have provided consent, for occasional marketing communications relevant to our products or offers.

4. Data Retention Periods

Personal data collected by Northolt Florist is retained only as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected, or as required for legal and regulatory compliance. Typically, retention periods are as follows:

• Order and Transaction Data: Retained for up to seven years to satisfy legal and accounting requirements.
• Marketing Data: Retained until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe from marketing communications.
• Correspondence: Kept for up to two years after your last correspondence to manage queries or complaints.

After these periods elapse, data is securely deleted or anonymised so you cannot be identified.

5. Data Processors and Sharing Your Information

To efficiently fulfil our services, we may engage trusted third-party service providers (data processors) who handle data on our behalf. Examples of processors we may use include:

• Payment processing companies
• IT service providers (hosting and database support)
• Delivery couriers where necessary for logistics
• Professional advisors, such as accountants or auditors

All such parties are contractually bound to handle your data securely and only for specified purposes. We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Your personal data may be disclosed to authorities where legally required, such as for the detection of crime or taxation purposes.

6. International Data Transfers

Northolt Florist aims to store and process all personal data within the UK or European Economic Area (EEA). If, for technical reasons, a supplier processes data outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are applied to protect your information in compliance with GDPR requirements.

7. How We Protect Your Personal Data

We are committed to safeguarding your data. Security measures in place include physical, electronic, and organisational controls to prevent unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure of your information. Access to personal data is restricted to staff and processors who require it for the specified business purpose and have appropriate confidentiality obligations.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have several rights regarding your personal data under the GDPR, including:

• The right to be informed – to receive clear information on how your data is used.
• The right of access – to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• The right to rectification – to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• The right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") – to request deletion of your data, subject to certain exceptions.
• The right to restrict processing – to request limits on the way we use your data.
• The right to data portability – to request your data be provided to you or transferred to another organisation.
• The right to object – to object to certain types of data processing, such as direct marketing.
• Rights related to automated decision-making – Northolt Florist does not use profiling or automated decisions in our processing of customer data.

Where we rely on your consent to process data, you can withdraw that consent at any time. To exercise your rights or for further guidance, please contact us using the details provided via our website or in-store.

9. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Updates are effective from the date they are published. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically for the latest information.

10. Contact and Further Information

If you have questions, concerns, or would like to exercise your rights regarding your data at Northolt Florist, please contact us via the channels listed on our website or make an inquiry in person at our physical location. If you are dissatisfied with our response, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office.