Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters to us. This Privacy & Cookies Policy explains how Bear’s Necessiteas (operated by Claire Lee, sole trader, based in the UK) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website: www.bearsnecessiteas.co.uk.

By using our website, you agree to the terms of this policy.

1. Who We Are

Bear’s Necessiteas is a small, independent bakery based in the UK. We create and sell handmade baked goods including brownies, blondies, cookies, cakes, and afternoon teas.

For the purposes of data protection law, we are the “data controller” responsible for your personal information.

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at:
📧 info@bearsnecessiteas.co.uk

2. What Personal Data We Collect

When you place an order, join our mailing list, or contact us, we may collect the following information:

• Your name
• Billing and delivery address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Payment details (processed securely by our payment providers – we never see or      store your full card details)
• Order details and messages you send us

We only collect the information we need to fulfil your order and provide the best possible customer service.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data to:

• Process and deliver your orders
• Contact you about your order or account
• Handle refunds, returns, or customer queries
• Send occasional marketing updates (only if you’ve opted in)
• Improve our website and customer experience

We will never sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Sharing Your Information

We only share your information when necessary to run our business — for example, with:

• Payment processors (e.g. PayPal, card providers) to securely handle transactions
• Delivery companies (e.g. Royal Mail) to deliver your order
• GoDaddy Airo (our website host), which provides our online store platform and analytics

All third parties we work with are GDPR-compliant and process your data securely.

5. How We Store & Protect Your Data

Your personal information is stored securely through our website platform and protected by encryption, passwords, and access controls.

We only keep your data for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfil your order
• Handle any queries or legal obligations (like tax or accounting records)

After that, your data is deleted or anonymised.

6. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”)
• Withdraw consent for marketing emails at any time
• Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been misused

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@bearsnecessiteas.co.uk.

7. Marketing Emails

We may send occasional updates, offers, or new product announcements — but only if you’ve opted in.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of our emails or by emailing us directly.

8. Cookies Policy

Our website uses cookies to help it function properly and to improve your browsing experience.

What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help with things like:

• Keeping your shopping basket items saved
• Remembering your preferences
• Understanding how visitors use our site (via analytics tools)

Types of cookies we use:

• Essential cookies: required for the site to work (e.g. checkout and login functions).
• Analytics cookies: help us see which pages are most popular so we can improve      our site.
• Performance cookies: used by GoDaddy to ensure the site runs smoothly.

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings, but doing so may affect how some parts of the site function.

9. Links to Other Websites

Our website may include links to other websites (for example, PayPal or social media pages). Once you leave our site, we have no control over how those sites use your data, so please check their privacy policies separately.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy & Cookies Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business or legal obligations. The latest version will always be available on our website and will take effect immediately upon posting.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy & Cookies Policy or how we handle your data, please contact:

📧 info@bearsnecessiteas.co.uk
🌐 www.bearsnecessiteas.co.uk

Thank you for trusting us with your information — we promise to keep it safe, simple, and only ever used for the good stuff (like getting your brownies to you!). 🐻💛