Florist Forest Gate Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Florist Forest Gate handles the personal data of customers placing orders from Forest Gate and the surrounding districts. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy, adhering to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and being transparent about our data practices. This policy applies to all customers who interact with our services through any ordering channel.

The Information We Collect

When you place an order or interact with Florist Forest Gate, we collect relevant information to deliver our products and services, as well as to improve your experience. The types of personal data we may collect include:

• Contact Information: such as your name, delivery address, and sometimes your phone number.
• Order Details: including the products ordered, recipient details (name, address, any messages or preferences), and delivery instructions.
• Payment Information: we collect limited payment information, such as transaction amounts and payment method, but payments are securely processed through third-party providers.
• Communications: any correspondences you send us, including queries, feedback, or complaints.
• Technical Data: including IP addresses, device information, and website usage data, if you place orders through our online platforms.

The Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

Under the GDPR, we must have a legal basis for processing your personal data. We chiefly rely on the following bases:

• Contractual Necessity: We process your data to fulfill your order and our contractual obligations to you, including processing payments and arranging deliveries.
• Legitimate Interests: For improving our products and services, preventing fraud, and ensuring the security of our systems. We always assess and balance our interests with your rights and freedoms.
• Legal Obligations: In some cases, we retain and process personal data to comply with local legal or tax requirements.
• Consent: Where we send marketing communications or use non-essential cookies, we do so with your explicit permission, which you may withdraw at any time.

How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used to:

• Process and deliver your floral orders.
• Communicate with you about your order, delivery status, or customer service queries.
• Improve our offerings, services, and user experience for customers in Forest Gate and local districts.
• Meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
• Send you updates or marketing communications, but only if you’ve opted in to receive them.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes set out in this policy. In general:

• Order and Transaction Data: Retained for up to seven years to comply with tax and accounting requirements.
• Customer Communications: Retained for a maximum of two years after resolution to help improve our customer service.
• Marketing Data: If you consent to receive marketing, your preferences are retained until you withdraw your consent.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it.

Processors and Sharing Your Data

We carefully select third parties who process your data on our behalf. These include:

• Payment Processors: To handle payment transactions securely.
• IT Service Providers: Companies that manage our website, email communications, and data storage.
• Delivery Partners: To ensure your flowers are delivered to the right address on time.
• Professional Advisors: Such as accountants or auditors in compliance with our legal duties.

We require all third-party processors to respect the security of your data, comply with GDPR, and only process data in accordance with our instructions. Your data is not sold or shared with advertisers or unrelated third parties.

Your Rights Under GDPR

As a customer of Florist Forest Gate, you have several rights over your personal data:

• Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct incomplete or inaccurate data.
• Right to Erasure: You may request deletion of your data, provided we are not required to retain it by law.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit the way we use your information.
• Right to Object: You may object to certain uses of your data, such as direct marketing.
• Right to Data Portability: Where applicable, you can request that we transfer your data to another service provider in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where our processing of your data relies on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the options on our website or speak with our customer service team. We may need to verify your identity before actioning your request.

Data Security

We take the security of your data seriously and put in place technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These include secure IT systems, restricted access, and regular data protection training for our staff.

International Transfers of Data

In general, your data is stored and processed in the UK or European Economic Area. Where processors operate outside these areas, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as standard contractual clauses or frameworks recognised by the GDPR.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law or our practices. Any updates will be made available alongside your ordering platform and will indicate the date of the last revision. We encourage customers in Forest Gate and surrounding areas to review it regularly.

Contact and Complaints

If you have questions or concerns about how your personal data is handled, please contact us via the methods listed on our website or speak to in-store staff. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully.