Privacy Policy | Meat Index

1. Introduction

Meat Index ("we", "us", or "our") is operated by Foodex Ltd. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

Our registered address is: Foodex Ltd, United Kingdom. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at [email protected].

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

2.1 Information You Provide

Account information: When you create an account, we collect your name and email address through our authentication provider.
Business listing data: Company name, address, telephone number, email address, website, description, and other business details you submit for directory listings.
Claim submissions: Information you provide when claiming a business listing, including your relationship to the business.
Job postings: Job titles, descriptions, salary information, and contact details you provide when posting jobs.
Payment information: When purchasing premium listings or featured job postings, payment is processed securely by Stripe. We do not store your full card details.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage data: Pages visited, search queries, and interactions with the site.
Device information: Browser type, operating system, and screen resolution.
Cookies: We use essential cookies for authentication and session management. See Section 7 for details.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our directory service, including displaying business listings publicly.
To process your account registration and manage your login sessions.
To process listing claims and verify business ownership.
To process payments for premium services via Stripe.
To send transactional emails (claim confirmations, approval notifications, job posting updates).
To display banner advertisements relevant to the meat industry.
To improve our website, services, and user experience.
To comply with legal obligations.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

Contract: Processing necessary to provide our services to you (e.g., managing your account, processing listings).
Legitimate interests: Operating and improving our directory, displaying business information publicly, and preventing fraud.
Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (e.g., marketing communications).
Legal obligation: Where processing is required to comply with applicable laws.

5. Data Sharing

We may share your information with:

Public directory: Business listing information (company name, address, phone, email, website) is displayed publicly on our directory. This is the core purpose of the service.
Payment processor: Stripe processes payments on our behalf. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
Email provider: Resend delivers transactional emails on our behalf.
Companies House: We cross-reference business data with the Companies House public register to verify company information.
Law enforcement: Where required by law or to protect our legal rights.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. Business listing data remains on the directory until you request its removal. If you close your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes. Payment records are retained for 7 years in accordance with HMRC requirements.

7. Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential cookies: Required for authentication and session management. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics cookies (Microsoft Clarity): We use Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors interact with our website. Clarity records session replays and generates heatmaps to help us improve the user experience. Microsoft may store and process this data on servers outside the UK. For more information, see Microsoft's Privacy Statement. You can opt out of Clarity analytics by declining cookies when prompted.
Preference cookies: Store your cookie consent choice so you are not asked again on every visit.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from logging in or using certain features.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

Right of access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate personal data.
Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
Right to restrict processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
Right to data portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within one month.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication, and regular security reviews. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. International Transfers

Your data may be processed by service providers located outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), to protect your data.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact & Complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at [email protected].

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.