Privacy Policy for Flowers Hertford Customers

Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Flowers Hertford collects, uses, and manages personal information relating to customers who place orders from Hertford and the surrounding districts. The policy has been developed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to ensure your data is handled lawfully, fairly, and transparently. By engaging with our products and services, you acknowledge you have read and understood the terms set out within this Privacy Policy.

What Data We Collect

Flowers Hertford collects only the personal data necessary to process your order, deliver our services, and communicate with you. The types of personal information we may collect include:

• Contact details: Name, delivery address, billing address, and phone number (if provided at checkout).
• Order information: Products ordered, delivery date, and any special instructions relevant to fulfilling your order.
• Payment information: While payments are processed securely by third-party payment processors, we may receive confirmation details such as payment reference or transaction status.
• Communication records: Records of communication, including enquiries or feedback sent to us via forms or contact channels.
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, access times, and navigation within our website, to ensure security and improve site functionality.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information such as health, ethnicity, or religious details.

Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

Under GDPR, Flowers Hertford processes your personal data for specific reasons (‘lawful bases’), which include:

• Contractual necessity: Much of the data we collect is required so we can fulfil your order and provide the products and services you request.
• Legal obligation: In certain circumstances, we may need to process data to comply with legal requirements (e.g., accounting, fraud prevention).
• Legitimate interests: We may process data to develop our services, enhance customer experience, and ensure network security, provided such interests do not override your fundamental rights.
• Consent: Where required, we will seek your explicit consent before using your data; for example, if you sign up to receive marketing communications.

How We Use Your Data

Flowers Hertford uses your personal data to:

• Process, fulfil, and deliver your flower orders
• Contact you about your order, including order updates or queries
• Deal with any complaints or enquiries
• Maintain business records for tax and accounting purposes
• Improve our services and website performance
• Send relevant service communications
• Comply with legal obligations and prevent fraudulent activity

We do not sell or rent your data to third parties for marketing.

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, meet contractual obligations, comply with accounting, and legal requirements, or as required to resolve disputes. Typically, order and transaction records are retained for up to seven years in line with UK tax regulations. Communications and query logs may be retained for up to one year after resolution.

When personal data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised. In some cases, we may retain anonymised or aggregated data for analytical purposes, from which no individual can be identified.

Data Processors and Third Parties

Flowers Hertford works with trusted data processors (service providers) that assist in delivering our services. These include:

• Payment processors: Securely handle card payments and related transaction data.
• Website hosting providers: Manage site security, hosting, and technical infrastructure.
• Delivery couriers: Receive information necessary for item delivery.

All processors are contractually required to protect your data and must not use it for their own purposes. Flowers Hertford only shares the minimum information needed for each processor to perform their services. Data may also be disclosed if required by law, to enforce legal rights, or to address claims and fraud.

Your Rights Under GDPR

As a Flowers Hertford customer, you have a number of statutory rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to access: You can request a copy of your personal data that we hold.
• Right to rectification: If your data is incorrect or incomplete, you can ask us to correct or update it.
• Right to erasure: In certain cases, you can request that your data is erased (the ‘right to be forgotten’).
• Right to restrict processing: Ask us to limit how we use your data where you have a particular reason.
• Right to data portability: Request the transfer of your data to yourself or another provider in a structured format.
• Right to object: You can object to how we process your data under certain circumstances, including for direct marketing.
• Right to withdraw consent: Where you have provided consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
• Right to complain: You are entitled to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your privacy rights have been breached.

Please note, some rights may only apply in certain situations, and there may be legal reasons why we need to retain or use your data. Any requests will be handled in accordance with applicable regulations and within statutory timeframes.

Keeping Your Data Secure

Flowers Hertford maintains appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include secure storage, encryption where appropriate, access controls, and ensuring only authorised staff or sub-contractors with a genuine business need can access your information. We continually review and update our practices to uphold data integrity and confidentiality.

Policy Updates

This Privacy Policy may be updated to reflect changes to our practices, regulatory requirements, or under other circumstances. The date of the last update will be indicated at the end of this document. We recommend reviewing this policy periodically to stay informed about how your data is protected at Flowers Hertford.

Contacting Flowers Hertford About Your Privacy

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a request relating to your data rights, please contact us using the communication channels found on our website. We are committed to responding to all queries promptly and transparently.

This Privacy Policy was last updated: June 2024.