Your Privacy and Data Protection at Elm Park Flowers

Introduction

At Elm Park Flowers, we are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled in a transparent, secure, and lawful manner. This Privacy Policy sets out how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you place orders with us from Elm Park and surrounding districts, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy applies to all customers making any purchase from Elm Park Flowers via any channel, including in-store, by phone, or online platforms.

Personal Data We Collect

When you place an order or interact with Elm Park Flowers, we collect the following categories of data:

  • Identity Data: Your first and last name, and, if relevant, recipient name for deliveries.
  • Contact Data: Address, delivery address (if different), and telephone number.
  • Order Information: Details of products/services purchased, delivery instructions, and special notes connected to your order.
  • Payment Data: Payment method type and transaction details (note: we do not retain full card numbers or CVVs).
  • Communications: Correspondence with our staff, order confirmation messages, and any feedback or reviews you provide.
  • Technical Data: If ordering online, technical information such as IP address, browser type, and cookies, as necessary for the transaction and website functionality.

Lawful Basis for Processing Your Data

We only process your personal data when we have a legal basis under the GDPR. Our primary lawful bases are:

  • Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfil your order and provide our services (Article 6(1)(b)).
  • Legal Obligation: We retain certain data to comply with tax, accounting, and other legal obligations (Article 6(1)(c)).
  • Legitimate Interest: For our business interests, such as improving our services, handling questions, or defending legal claims, provided these interests do not override your rights (Article 6(1)(f)).
  • Consent: For optional uses, such as sending marketing communications, we seek your explicit consent (Article 6(1)(a)), which you may withdraw at any time.

Use of Your Personal Data

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • Processing and delivering your order, including handling payments and arranging deliveries.
  • Managing our relationship with you, including notifying you of order status or responding to your queries.
  • Maintaining business records in accordance with legal requirements.
  • Improving our customer service and understanding ordering patterns.
  • Sending marketing information where you have given your consent (you may opt out at any time).

Data Retention

We only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Typically, customer order information will be retained for up to seven years, as required by applicable tax and accounting regulations. Communications such as emails or order-related correspondence will be retained as required to resolve issues or for legal purposes, and periodically reviewed for secure deletion. For marketing data, your information will be retained until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe.

Third-Party Processors

To provide our services effectively, we may share necessary parts of your personal data with trusted third-party service providers (data processors). These may include:

  • Payment processors (for secure handling of transactions; payment details are not stored by Elm Park Flowers beyond required records).
  • Delivery and courier services (to fulfil and track your delivery).
  • IT support and website hosting providers (to maintain service security and functionality).
  • Professional advisors such as accountants and legal consultants (where relevant to our legal obligations).

All such processors are contractually required to handle your data in compliance with GDPR, maintain its security, and only process it according to our instructions. We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.

International Transfers

In rare cases, some processors may process data outside the UK or EEA. If this occurs, Elm Park Flowers ensures that appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses, or other legally recognised measures, are in place to protect your information.

Your Data Protection Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of Access: You may request confirmation that we hold your data, and request a copy of the personal data we process about you.
  • Right to Rectification: If information we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to correct it.
  • Right to Erasure: You may request we delete your personal data in certain circumstances, subject to legal retention obligations.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: You may ask us to limit use of your data while a complaint is investigated, or where processing is unlawful.
  • Right to Data Portability: You can request your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format, and have the right to transmit it to another organisation.
  • Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests, or for direct marketing.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we process your data based on consent (e.g., marketing), you may withdraw this at any time.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: If you believe we have not complied with GDPR, you can contact the relevant supervisory authority.

How We Safeguard Your Information

Elm Park Flowers implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure your personal data is kept secure. We continually assess our security measures and limit access to personal information to authorised personnel with a need to know.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to the law, our data practices, or improvements to our service. When we do, we will make the revised version available to you and update the publication date.

Contacting Us About Your Personal Data

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, you may contact us via our usual customer contact channels, or by writing to our store at our Elm Park premises. Our team will respond to your requests as soon as possible and in accordance with applicable law.