Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Chotu Chaiwala is a Liverpool-based Indian chai brand bringing the authentic taste of India's streets to the heart of the UK. When this policy refers to "we," "us," or "our," it means Chotu Chaiwala and any entities operating under that name.

If you have any questions about this policy, you can reach us at hello@chotuchaiwala.co.uk.

Information We Collect

We collect information in a few ways depending on how you interact with us:

• Contact & enquiry forms — name, email address, and any message you submit
• Newsletter sign-ups — email address and your marketing preferences
• WhatsApp enquiries — your number and conversation history within that platform
• Website usage — pages visited, time on site, device type, and browser, via cookies and analytics tools
• Event bookings — name, contact details, and booking preferences when you reserve a spot with us

We never collect sensitive personal data (such as health information or payment card details directly on our site).

How We Use Your Information

We use your data only for the purposes it was given. Specifically:

• Responding to your enquiries and booking requests
• Sending our newsletter and chai updates — only if you opted in
• Improving our website experience using anonymised analytics
• Complying with legal obligations we may be subject to

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.

Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on the following lawful bases:

• Consent — for marketing emails and cookies (you can withdraw at any time)
• Legitimate interests — for responding to enquiries and improving our website
• Legal obligation — where we are required to keep certain records by law

How We Share Your Data

We use a small number of trusted third-party services to operate our website and communications:

• Email service providers — to send newsletters and confirmations
• Analytics tools — such as Google Analytics, to understand site usage
• Website hosting — our site is hosted on secure servers within the UK/EEA

All third parties are required to handle your data securely and in line with applicable data protection law.

How Long We Keep Your Data

We only keep your data for as long as necessary. In practice:

• Enquiry and contact data — up to 12 months after last contact
• Newsletter subscribers — until you unsubscribe
• Analytics data — aggregated and anonymised within 26 months

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of any inaccurate data
• Ask us to delete your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Object to or restrict certain types of processing
• Withdraw consent at any time (where consent was the basis)
• Lodge a complaint with the ICO at ico.org.uk

To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@chotuchaiwala.co.uk and we'll respond within 30 days.

Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. Our website uses HTTPS encryption and we limit access to personal data to those who genuinely need it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Any significant changes will be reflected with a new "last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.