Privacy Policy

Introduction

PlantCompare (operated by [Company Name], "we," "us," "our," or "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website located at plantcompare.co.uk and our related mobile applications (collectively, the "Site").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Site. By accessing and using PlantCompare, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Data Controller and Contact Information

[Company Name] is the data controller for the personal data processed through the PlantCompare website. We are responsible for determining the purposes and means of processing your personal data.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data and our privacy practices, you can contact us:

We aim to respond to all data subject requests within 30 days of receipt.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information about you in various ways:

2.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

When you interact with our Site, you may voluntarily provide personal data such as:

• Email address (if you sign up for newsletters or account features)
• Name and contact information
• Preferences and wishlist data
• Feedback, comments, or inquiries you submit to us

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access our Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage patterns:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, and mobile device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, search queries, and referral sources
• Location Data: General location based on IP address (country/region level only)
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Persistent and session cookies, pixels, and tracking tags (see our Cookie Policy)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Affiliate Networks: Awin, CJ Affiliate, and Amazon Associates may share aggregated data about clicks and conversions
• Analytics Providers: Plausible Analytics and PostHog provide aggregated, privacy-preserving analytics
• Retailers: Information about which products you viewed or purchased (where shared through affiliate networks)

3. Legal Basis for Processing (UK GDPR Article 6)

We only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so. The legal bases we rely on are:

• Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): Where you have explicitly consented to processing, such as subscribing to email newsletters or accepting analytics cookies
• Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): Processing necessary to operate our website, understand user behavior, improve our service, prevent fraud, and maintain security. Our legitimate interests include providing an efficient service and improving user experience
• Contractual Obligation: Where necessary to provide requested services, such as account functionality
• Legal Obligation: Where required by law, such as tax or regulatory compliance

For any processing based on legitimate interests, we have balanced our interests against your rights and freedoms, and we believe our interests are not overridden by your privacy interests.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: Operating, maintaining, and improving our comparison website
• Analytics: Analyzing user behavior to improve our service, understand traffic patterns, and optimize site performance
• Marketing Communications: Sending newsletters, updates, and promotional content (only with your consent or where you've opted in)
• Personalization: Remembering your preferences, saved searches, and wishlist items
• Affiliate Tracking: Tracking clicks and conversions through affiliate networks to verify commission eligibility
• Security and Fraud Prevention: Detecting and preventing fraudulent activity, abuse, and unauthorized access
• Legal and Compliance: Complying with legal obligations and establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims
• Research and Development: Conducting anonymized research to improve our products and services
• Customer Support: Responding to your inquiries and providing customer service

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, analyze site usage, and support our affiliate marketing program.

What are cookies? Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They allow websites to remember information about your visit.

For a detailed explanation of the cookies we use, including categories, specific cookie names, retention periods, and how to manage them, please visit our Cookie Policy.

Key points:

• Essential cookies are necessary for website functionality
• Analytics cookies are privacy-friendly and allow us to understand user behavior
• Affiliate tracking cookies enable us to earn commission on purchases
• You can disable non-essential cookies through your browser settings

6. Third-Party Service Providers

We share necessary personal data with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business. These providers are contractually obligated to use your data only for the purposes we specify and to maintain appropriate security measures.

6.1 Analytics Providers

• Plausible Analytics: We use Plausible for privacy-friendly website analytics. Plausible does not use cookies to track users and does not require cookie consent. Data is aggregated and anonymized.
• PostHog: We use PostHog for product analytics and feature tracking. PostHog processes anonymized data to help us understand user behavior.

6.2 Affiliate Networks

We participate in affiliate marketing programs that track clicks and conversions:

• Awin: Tracks affiliate commissions from retailers in our network
• CJ Affiliate (Conversant): Manages affiliate relationships and commission tracking
• Amazon Associates: Tracks and manages Amazon product affiliate commissions
• Individual Retailer Affiliate Programs: Direct affiliate tracking from participating retailers

These networks may set their own cookies to track your activity. Please review their privacy policies for more information.

6.3 Other Providers

• Web Hosting and Infrastructure: Vercel or similar providers host our website
• Email Services: Email providers for newsletter delivery and customer communications
• Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): For optimized content delivery

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law.

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active, then deleted or anonymized within 90 days of account closure, unless legal obligations require longer retention
• Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized; individual data points retained for 90 days
• Cookies: Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser; persistent cookies are retained as specified in our Cookie Policy
• Affiliate Data: Commission and conversion data retained for the duration of our affiliate agreement plus any applicable legal minimum
• Email Communications: Retained for 3 years if you've consented to marketing communications; unsubscribed emails deleted within 30 days of request
• Inquiries and Support Tickets: Retained for 2 years from last communication

8. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

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

8.1 Right of Access (Article 15)

You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether we are processing your personal data, and if so, to receive a copy of that data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

8.2 Right to Rectification (Article 16)

You have the right to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

8.3 Right to Erasure (Article 17) – "The Right to be Forgotten"

You have the right to request deletion of your personal data when:

• The data is no longer necessary for the original purposes
• You withdraw your consent (if processing was based on consent)
• You object to processing and there is no overriding legitimate interest
• The data has been unlawfully processed
• You are a child and the data was collected in relation to information society services

We may retain data where required by law or where we have a legitimate interest that overrides your right to erasure.

8.4 Right to Restrict Processing (Article 18)

You have the right to restrict how we process your data when:

• You contest the accuracy of the data
• Processing is unlawful but you don't want erasure
• We no longer need the data but you require it for legal claims
• You've objected to processing pending verification of our interests

8.5 Right to Data Portability (Article 20)

You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.

8.6 Right to Object (Article 21)

You have the right to object to processing of your personal data where it is based on legitimate interests. You also have an unconditional right to object to direct marketing. We will cease processing for direct marketing purposes upon your request.

8.7 Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making (Article 22)

You have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing that produce significant legal or similarly significant effects. We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that would trigger this right.

9. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of the rights outlined above, please submit your request in writing to:

Please include the following in your request:

• Your name and email address
• A clear description of what right you are exercising
• Any relevant account or identification information

We will respond to your request within 30 days of receipt. If your request is complex or you have submitted multiple requests, we may extend this period by up to 60 days, and we will inform you of any extension.

We may request additional information to verify your identity before processing your request. We may also refuse requests that are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive.

10. Complaints to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal data or a data subject request, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which is the UK's independent authority for data protection.

11. International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers are located outside the UK and European Economic Area (EEA). Where your data is transferred to countries without an adequacy decision under UK GDPR, we implement appropriate safeguards such as:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by the UK government
• Binding corporate rules
• Your explicit consent

Specific Transfers:

• Plausible Analytics and PostHog: GDPR-compliant analytics providers; PostHog uses EU servers for EU data
• Affiliate Networks (Awin, CJ Affiliate): May process data in the US; these organizations have Standard Contractual Clauses in place
• Web Hosting: If using Vercel or similar US-based providers, data transfer agreements (SCCs) are in place

For more information about the safeguards we use, please contact us at hello@plantcompare.co.uk.

12. Children's Privacy

PlantCompare is not intended for individuals under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will delete such data immediately and terminate the child's account.

For users aged 13-18 in the UK, we provide enhanced privacy protections and limit processing to what is necessary.

13. Security of Your Data

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
• Secure password storage using industry-standard hashing
• Access controls limiting data to authorized personnel only
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Employee training on data protection

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You use our Site at your own risk.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The date of the most recent update is listed at the top of this page.

Your continued use of the Site following the posting of revised privacy policy terms means you accept and agree to the changes. If we make material changes to how we process your personal data, we will provide appropriate notice (such as by email or a prominent notice on our Site) and obtain your consent where required by law.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.