Flowers Wanstead Privacy Policy

Introduction

Flowers Wanstead is committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal information of our customers. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It applies to all customers placing orders with Flowers Wanstead from Wanstead and surrounding districts.

What Data We Collect

To fulfil your orders and provide the best possible service, Flowers Wanstead collects and processes a range of personal data. The categories of data we may collect include:

  • Identity Information: such as your full name and title.
  • Contact Details: including your postal address, delivery address, and phone number (if provided).
  • Order Details: such as items ordered, delivery preferences, and order notes.
  • Payment Information: including billing address and limited payment card information as necessary for secure transaction processing.
  • Communications: including correspondence you send us, such as special instructions, compliments, or complaints.
  • Website Usage Data: such as IP address, browser type, device information, and activity logs where applicable, collected via cookies or analytics tools to enhance your online experience.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Flowers Wanstead processes your personal data only where there is a lawful basis to do so under GDPR. The primary lawful bases include:

  • Contractual necessity: We require your personal data to process and deliver your order, manage payment, and provide customer service.
  • Legal obligations: We retain transactional records as required by law for accounting, tax, and regulatory purposes.
  • Legitimate interests: We may process your data to improve our services, prevent fraud, and maintain the security of our operations.
  • Consent: For non-essential communications or where required by law, we seek your explicit consent before collecting or processing your information.

How We Use Your Information

Your data is used for the following purposes:

  • Processing and fulfilling your orders, including delivery arrangements.
  • Managing payments and invoicing.
  • Providing customer support and responding to your inquiries.
  • Notifying you about the status of your order.
  • Carrying out analytics to improve our website, products, and services.
  • Complying with legal, regulatory, and tax obligations.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Our general retention periods are as follows:

  • Order Records: Retained for up to six years to comply with accounting and tax obligations.
  • Customer Communications: Maintained for up to two years to resolve disputes or address recurring queries.
  • Payment Information: Only processed by our payment service providers and is not stored by Flowers Wanstead beyond the duration of the transaction, except anonymised transaction records for compliance and auditing.

At the end of these periods, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

Data Processors and Third Parties

Flowers Wanstead uses carefully selected third-party processors to assist in delivering our services. Data may be shared with:

  • Payment processing providers for secure transaction handling.
  • Delivery partners and couriers for order fulfilment.
  • IT and cloud service providers to host our website and manage data storage securely.
  • Accountants, auditors, or legal advisors as required by law.

All third-party processors act strictly on our instructions, adhere to data confidentiality, and comply with GDPR and other applicable data protection laws. We do not sell or rent your personal information to any other parties.

International Transfers

Your personal data is stored and processed within the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area (EEA). Should your information need to be transferred outside these areas for technical reasons, we ensure that suitable safeguards are in place, such as contractual clauses approved by the European Commission or equivalent protection measures, in accordance with GDPR requirements.

Your Rights Under GDPR

The GDPR provides you with certain rights regarding your personal data. You have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Rectification: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data where there is no legal, contractual, or legitimate reason for us to retain it.
  • Restriction: Request that we temporarily restrict processing of your data under certain circumstances.
  • Data Portability: Obtain and transfer your data to another service provider where applicable.
  • Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
  • Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw this at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact us via our website or by mail. We may ask for verification of your identity before processing your request.

Data Security

Flowers Wanstead takes appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include secure servers, encryption of payment transactions, restricted access, and staff training in data protection obligations.

Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to enhance your browsing experience, track website usage, and generate anonymised statistics for service improvement. You can choose to manage or disable cookies via your browser settings, but this may affect functionality.

Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated as required to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or customer feedback. We recommend reviewing this policy regularly to remain informed about how we protect your personal information. Material changes will be highlighted on our website.

Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us through the channels provided on our website. If you believe your data rights have been violated, you are entitled to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) or your local supervisory authority.

This policy was last updated in June 2024.