Privacy Policy

Data Protection and Privacy Policy

We are very serious about protecting your privacy. Your trust is our most important asset. This privacy policy explains how we may collect information from you via our websites and how that information may be used subsequently. 

By browsing and using our website you agree to this policy governing your use of the website. If you do not accept this policy, you must not use our website.

This policy applies only to this website and not to other websites to which we provide links. We also enter into agreements with commercial partners whose websites may be co-branded or framed by us and which you may visit directly through our website. These websites are not subject to our privacy policy. You are advised to read the privacy policy of such other websites.

We may change our privacy policy from time to time without notification and you should regularly review this policy when you visit our site.

Collection of information

In order to provide the services you want, and to allow you to experience a more personalised service when you revisit us, we need to know your interests. We find these out by asking you, by reading your comments and by looking at which are the most popular areas of our sites.

Collection of personal information

We will only collect personal information from you (such as name, address, telephone number, email address etc) which you have provided voluntarily to us either by completing registration or enquiry forms or sending emails to us. Please do not submit your personal data to us if you do not wish us to collect it.

Examples of where we may collect your personal information include (without limitation):

– If you enter a contest or promotion we ask for your name, address and e-mail address. This is so we can run the contest effectively and tell you if you have won.

– If you order a product or service from us we may ask for information including your name, e-mail address, delivery and billing address, credit or debit card number and expiry date. Sometimes we may ask for your telephone number to be forwarded to the couriers who may deliver your order. These details allow us to process your orders efficiently.

In addition to asking you to submit personal information, we may collect information about you automatically when you visit the site. The collection of information may involve the use of cookies and web beacons. A web beacon is a small graphic image placed on a web page that is designed to allow us to monitor visitors to our site. A cookie is small text file that is placed on your computer’s hard drive by your web browser when you first visit our site. The cookie allows us to identify your computer and find out details about your last visit. Most internet browsers accept cookies automatically, but usually you can alter the settings of your browser to erase cookies or prevent automatic acceptance if you prefer. If you choose not to receive our cookies, we cannot guarantee that your experience with our website will be as quick or responsive as if you do receive cookies.

The information collected by cookies and web beacons is not personally identifiable, it includes general information about your computer settings, your connection to the internet e.g. operating system and platform, IP address, your browsing patterns and timings of browsing on our website and your geographical location.

Use of your information

You agree that we may obtain, hold, correlate, merge and use your information (including personal information) for the purpose of providing you with our services and ancillary services and for our internal business purposes. These include (without limitation):

– Personalising your visits to the site and developing the design and style of the site to improve our services to you

– To inform you about the latest changes to our website, or products, services or promotional offers that you might find interesting

– Informing you if you have been successful in any of the competitions or promotions

– Compiling customer reviews

– For market research purposes

– To prevent you from posting illegal, offensive or objectionable comments on our sites

– To enable third parties to carry out statistical analyses’, technical, logistical or other functions on our behalf including determining behavioural preferences to manage online advertising

– For strategic development

– For any purpose required by law or regulation

– For accounting purposes

Sharing Information

We may provide third parties, at our discretion, with certain aggregate statistical data about your use of our websites, which data may include demographic data such as age range and/or geographic location of groups of user. It will not include information that could personally identify you.

With your consent, we may supply personal information to third parties.

We reserve the right to access and to disclose personal information to comply with applicable laws and lawful government requests or requests by applicable regulatory bodies to operate our systems properly or to protect either ourselves or our other users.

We may transfer, sell or assign any of the information described in this policy to third parties as a result of a sale, merger, consolidation, change of control, transfer of assets or reorganisation of Associated.

You consent to the transfer of your personal information outside of the European Economic Area (which may not provide the same protection for such information as the United Kingdom provides) in the event that the processing of your information involves such a transfer.

Monitoring emails

We may monitor and keep records of email communications which you send to us and other communications with you in accordance with this policy and our other business interests.

Safeguards and Security

No data transmission over the internet can be entirely secure, and therefore we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information and/or use of our sites. However we use our reasonable endeavours to protect the security of your personal information from unauthorised access.

In addition to our safeguards your personal information is protected in the UK by the Data Protection Act. This provides that the information which we hold about you should be processed fairly and lawfully and should be accurate, relevant and not excessive. The information should, where necessary, be kept up to date and not retained for longer than is necessary. Please help us to keep your personal information accurate by updating your registration details on the website.

For more information on the Data Protection Act and the Information Commissioner please see www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Changing or accessing your information

Should your personal information change (e.g. your postcode), or if you no longer wish to receive newsletters or services you have signed up for, or if you wish to review or receive copies of the personal information we hold about you, or have any other queries please email [email protected] including full details of your request.