PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website, data portal, or any of our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood how we handle personal data.

2. Who We Are

3. What Data We Collect & How

When you use our website, data portal, or engage with us as a customer or contact, we may collect and process the following types of personal data:

• Identity information: name, job title, and company name;
• Contact details: email address, telephone number, and business or postal address;
• Transaction data: details of products or services you have purchased or enquired about;
• Usage data: information about how you use our website, including IP address, browser type, pages visited, and duration of visit (collected via cookies and analytics tools);
• Communications: records of correspondence with us by email, telephone, or post;
• Marketing preferences: your preferences for receiving marketing communications from us.

We collect this data directly from you (when you contact us, place an order, or register on our website), automatically (through our website analytics), and occasionally from third parties (such as business directories or referrals).

4. How We Use Your Data

• To provide, administer, and deliver the products and services you have requested;
• To manage our customer relationship and communicate with you about your orders or account;
• To monitor website traffic patterns and improve the design and functionality of our website;
• To send you relevant news, updates, and marketing communications where you have given permission;
• To conduct customer satisfaction surveys for quality management purposes;
• To analyse and segment our database so we can provide you with a more relevant service

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

6. What We Will Never Do

• Sell your personal data to any third party;
• Use your data in a way that is incompatible with the purposes described in this policy;
• Transfer your personal data outside the United Kingdom without ensuring
  appropriate safeguards are in place;

7. Sharing Your Data

• IT and infrastructure providers (including Microsoft 365 / Azure and Keystone IT Ltd);
• Mailing and fulfilment partners engaged to deliver services on your behalf;
• Analytics providers to help us understand website usage;
• Professional advisers such as accountants or legal counsel.

All third-party processors are subject to data processing agreements and are required to handle your data securely and in compliance with UK data protection law.

8. Cookies

We use:
 

• Essential cookies: necessary for the website to function correctly;
• Analytics cookies: to monitor traffic and usage patterns (e.g. Google Analytics);
• Preference cookies: to remember your settings and preferences.

9. Data Retention

• Customer and transaction records: retained for 6 years in line with legal and tax requirements;
• Marketing and contact data: retained until you withdraw consent or we have no reasonable business basis to hold it, reviewed annually;
• Website analytics data: retained for 26 months in line with standard analytics practice;
• Mailing data: electronic data deleted 10 days after mailing completion; physical data deleted within one month, following confirmation of proof of delivery.

10. Your Rights

• Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Right to rectification: to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
• Right to erasure: to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
• Right to restrict processing: to ask us to limit how we use your data;
• Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing;
• Right to data portability: to receive your data in a portable format where the processing is based on consent or contract;
• Right not to be subject to automated decisions: where these have a significant effect on you.

11. Children

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 without verifiable parental or guardian consent. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action.

12. Security

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we do our utmost to protect your data, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted to us online. You accept the inherent security implications of communicating over the internet.

13. Raising a Concern

• Website: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in legislation, ICO guidance, or our business practices. When we make material changes, we will update the version number and issue date at the top of this document and, where appropriate, notify customers directly.

We recommend reviewing this policy periodically. The current version is always available at birchprint.co.uk and on request from our DPO.

Next scheduled review: January 2027.