1. Introduction

Bear Packaging (“we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website (bear-packaging.co.uk), register a trade account, request a quote, or purchase packaging products and related supplies.

We are a UK-based supplier of refuse sacks, carrier bags and rubble sacks, registered in England and Wales. We act as a data controller of your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions, Cookies Policy and Returns Policy.

2. The Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity: name, job title, company name (for trade accounts).

Contact: email address, telephone number, billing and delivery addresses.

Account: password (securely hashed), account preferences, role.

Commercial: VAT number, company registration number, business type, estimated monthly spend.

Transaction: order history, quote requests, payment method (processed securely by our payment provider – we never store full card numbers).

Technical: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time of visit, and usage data collected via cookies and analytics.

Communications: messages, reviews, and contact submissions you send us.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal data on the following lawful bases:

Contract: to process and fulfil orders, manage trade accounts, and provide quotes.

Legal obligation: to maintain records for tax, accounting, and VAT compliance.

Legitimate interest: to prevent fraud, improve our services, personalise content, and provide security.

Consent: to send marketing newsletters and promotional offers (you may opt out at any time).

Specific purposes include:

• Processing orders and arranging delivery
• Managing trade account applications and credit facilities
• Responding to enquiries, quote requests, and support tickets
• Notifying you about order status and delivery updates
• Sending marketing communications (only with your consent)
• Improving website performance and user experience
• Creating aggregated, anonymised analytics reports

4. Sharing Your Information

We never sell your personal data. We only share information with trusted third parties where it is necessary to operate our business:

Delivery partners (e.g. couriers and pallet networks) to ship your orders.

Payment processors to securely handle transactions.

Service providers such as hosting, analytics, and email platforms, acting on our behalf.

Credit reference agencies for trade account credit assessments and fraud prevention.

Public authorities where required by law or to protect our legal rights.

We require all third parties to respect the confidentiality of your data and to process it only for the purposes we specify. International transfers (if any) are protected with appropriate safeguards such as UK International Data Transfer Agreements.

5. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. You can control cookies through your browser settings. See our full Cookies Policy for details on each cookie we set.

6. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy. Order records are retained for up to seven years to meet tax and accounting obligations. Account data is retained while your account is active and can be deleted on request, subject to any legal retention requirements.

7. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access – request a copy of the data we hold about you.

Rectification – correct inaccurate or incomplete data.

Erasure – request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).

Restriction – limit how we use your data.

Portability – receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

Objection – object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.

Withdraw consent – at any time, for processing based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, email info@bear-packaging.co.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption in transit, access controls, regular security reviews, and staff training. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our products and services are aimed at businesses and trade customers. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. The “last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

• Email: info@bear-packaging.co.uk
• Phone: 01274 900 757
• Bear Packaging, 12 New John Street, Bradford, BD1 2QY
• Company No. 12345678 (England & Wales)