Privacy and Cookie Policy

This privacy policy sets out how Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea uses and protects any information that you give Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea when you use this website. By accepting our Terms of Use (see below), you are confirming that you have read and understand this policy including how and why we use your information. If you don’t want us to collect or process your personal information in the ways described in this policy, you shouldn’t use our website or services.

Our Terms of Use require all account owners to be at least 18 years of age. Minors under 18 years of age and at least 13 years of age are permitted to use our services only if they have the appropriate permission and direct supervision by the owner of the account. Children under age 13 are not permitted to use our services. You are responsible for any and all account activity conducted by a minor on your account.

Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 9 September 2023.

Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea respects your privacy: We will not sell your information. We may use it to target advertising across the websites affiliated with our third-party cookie provider and on social media.

What we collect

We use data analytics to ensure site functionality and improve our services. We use a third party service (Google Analytics) to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns when you visit our website. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not link the information we store within the analytics software to any personally identifiable information that you submit on our website.

We may collect information about your use of the services for advertising, analytics, to serve content and to protect the services, including your IP address, browser information, device information and location information. We may obtain location information via your IP address. We may use and store information about your location to provide features and to improve and customise the services, for example, to change the currency displayed on the website. If you have consented to share your precise device location details but would no longer like to continue sharing that information with us, you may revoke your consent to the sharing of that information through the settings on your browser and / or mobile device. Certain non-precise location services, such as for security and localised policies based on your IP address or submitted address, are critical for the site to function. We will only share your geo-location details with third parties (like our mapping, payments, or, to the extent applicable, advertising providers) in order to provide you with the services.

You do not need to register with us in order to use our website, although some services will require you to register an account. We may receive or obtain information, such as an email address or IP address, about a person who is not a registered member (non-member) in connection with certain website features, such as when a non-member chooses to subscribe to our newsletter. Non-member information is used only for the purposes disclosed when it was submitted to us or to facilitate an action authorised by the non-member.

In order to use our services that require registration, you need to provide us with a valid email address and a name associated with your account. You may review or change that name through your account settings. Depending on which services you choose to use, additional information, such as billing and payment information (including billing contact name, address, telephone number, credit card information), a telephone number, and / or a physical postal address, may be necessary in order for us to provide a particular service. You are not required to provide us with this information to sign up, but we will need it to provide certain services. For example, we need a physical postal address if you are buying something on the website for delivery. Your account name is never made public. If you submit a review, you are identifiable only by the name you submit.
Some members or visitors may choose to connect to our website or register an account using an external third-party application, such as Facebook. We may receive information from those connected third-party applications. Connecting your account to third-party applications or services is optional. If you choose to connect your account to a third-party application, we may receive information from that application. We may also collect public information in order to connect with you. We may use that information as part of providing our services to you. You can revoke your permission anytime in your account settings of the third-party application.

Third-party plug-ins also may collect information about your use of the website, for example when clicking the share button under a product. That site may request cookies directly from your browser. These interactions are subject to the privacy policy of the third-party site. Please be aware that when you use third-party sites or services, their own terms and privacy policies will govern your use of those sites or services. We cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst using such plug-ins and such plug-ins are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the third party in question.

We may use third party providers to manage our social media / email interactions. If you send us a private or direct message via social media, it will not be shared with any other organisations.

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• To fulfil your order, answer any queries or requests you may have, and carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us.
• To identify you when you make contact with us.
• To prevent and detect fraud. We may check your details with fraud prevention agencies. If you provide false or inaccurate information that makes us suspect fraud, we will record this.
• For statistical or survey purposes and market analysis to improve our services.
• To ensure that content from our services is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your device.
• To administer our services.
• If you consent, to send you marketing that may be of interest to you.*
• We may also record and monitor communications between you and us to ensure quality assurance and compliance.

* If you subscribe for our newsletters, create an account on our website or otherwise agree to receive marketing from us, we may send you email alerts for new sales event launches, products, features, enhancements, special offers, upgrade opportunities, events of interest, and one-off marketing promotions. Such alerts may include marketing information about us, our subsidiaries or selected business partners. At any time you can unsubscribe from our contact list by following the unsubscribe instructions on communications sent to you, by contacting us or by unsubscribing via your account. From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

All online payment transactions are processed through a third party provider (WooCommerce). Every transaction is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology.

We do not store your credit or debit card details, except as follows, and with your consent. If you consent (to avoid the need to re-enter these details each time you shop with us, and so make purchasing quicker and simpler), we will store an encrypted token that represents your payment card and will reveal only the last four digits and expiry date of your credit or debit card number when confirming an order. We also display the last four digits of your credit card and card type on your receipt. Only these details are stored on our systems and an encrypted token which is unique to our website. Your full credit or debit card number is never stored on any of our systems. This token is transmitted to the payment provider during the order processing. If you have chosen not to register your card details with us, we will only store the last four digits for the purpose of our communications with you, but for the purpose of a transaction, the entire card number is, of course, transmitted to the appropriate credit card company to process your order. Security codes (CVC) are never stored and will have to be entered for every transaction.

While we endeavour to ensure your information is secure, you are responsible for your own account and any activity using your account. You should protect your password and your computer from unauthorised access by others, and always make sure you log off your account when you finish on a shared computer.

Messages from Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea

On occasion, we may need to contact you. Primarily, these messages are delivered by email and every account is required to keep a valid email address on file to receive messages. We may also contact you by telephone to provide member support or for transaction-related purposes if you request that we call you.

Some messages from us are service-related and necessary for members. You agree that we can send you non-marketing emails or messages, such as those related to transactions, your account, security, or product changes. Examples of service-related messages include an email address confirmation / welcome email when you register your account, notification of an order, service availability, modification of key features or functions, and correspondence with our support team.

You must always opt-in to receive marketing messages from us. When you subscribe to our newsletter, you receive notice of and agree to receive marketing emails and messages from us. You can unsubscribe at any time from marketing emails through the opt-out link included in marketing emails or through your account settings.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use “session cookies” when you add products to your basket, and also to obtain statistical data about our users’ browsing actions and patterns. These are saved to the browser only and disappear when the browser is closed. We use “permanent cookies” to remember if you have visited us before; these will stay on your computer after you leave our website. We use “traffic log cookies” to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Our third party marketing and profiling cookies

We use marketing cookies from our trusted third party company (Google) to create user-related profiles (Similar Audiences and Affinity Audiences) that meet the preferences shown during the visit on our website. While you navigate on our website these cookies are useful for showing you services, products and content which are similar to those you have viewed. These cookies allow you to be provided with our commercial offering across devices on other websites affiliated with Google (retargeting) and to people (Similar Audiences and Affinity Audiences) whose interests match your profile based on your preferences and navigation shown during your visit on our website and expressed in the settings of your Google profile.

How you can disable cookies and manage your preferences:

Our cookies

The majority of browsers are configured to accept, control or potentially disable cookies through the settings. We nevertheless remind you that disabling traffic cookies may affect the functioning of the website and and / or limit the service we offer and / or limit our ability to personalise the website functioning according to your preferences. Below is the procedure to follow to manage cookies from the following browsers:

• Chrome
• Safari
• Firefox
• Internet Explorer

Third party cookies

For information about how you can opt out of Google’s use of cookies please visit:

• Google’s Ads Settings
• Google’s DoubleClick opt-out page

To opt-out of cookies installed on your browser by other companies please visit the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page.

To learn more about profiling cookies, please click here. 

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways: 

• whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you consent to the information being used by anybody for direct marketing purposes.
• if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by contacting us or clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every marketing email sent.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the General Data Protection Regulation Act 2018. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to 18 Sovereign Avenue, Gosport, PO12 4GT, UK.
If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, or if you would like your information deleted, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect or delete all the information we hold on you within 28 days of being notified. There is no fee for this, however where the request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, we may charge a small fee for the administrative costs of complying with the request.

Tea Mountain/Portsmouth Tea respects your privacy: We will not sell your information. We may use it to target advertising on social media.