Privacy Statement

All personal information given to us through this site will only be held and used in accordance with the Data Protection Act. We have developed a data protection policy, an information security policy and other internal controls to ensure that our uses of customer information comply with the eight Data Protection Principles of good information handling.

The principles require data to be: fairly and lawfully processed; accurate and kept up to date; adequate; relevant and not excessive; kept no longer than necessary; processed in accordance with the rights of data subjects; held securely; and not transferred to countries without adequate protection.

Booker Ltd ("Booker") is committed to ensuring the privacy of your information. We understand that the privacy of your information is very important to you. We are careful about the information we ask you to provide and only use your information to process orders and to provide you with the best shopping experience possible.

We have set out below details of the information we will collect about you, how we ensure the security of your information and how we will use your information.

What personal information do we collect?

We only collect personal information that is knowingly and voluntarily given. Generally, this occurs when you register on the website, change your details, request a service, email us, or provide us with feedback.

When registering with us, we need to collect a variety of information including:

• your email address to confirm your order. We will also need your email address if you have given us permission to contact you about new features and special offers;
• your address for delivery/identification purposes;
• your telephone number in the event of a problem with your order or delivery, as we may need to contact you quickly;
• a user name and password so we can store your details securely; and,
• payment information such as your credit card details in order to process payments.

A user name and password also mean we can recall your information for you each time you log in.

We automatically collect anonymous information each time you visit. The information obtained in this way, which may include purchasing history or browsing patterns, is purely statistical and only used in aggregate form - it cannot be used to identify you. Typical information of this sort may be '40% of our customers buy spaghetti'.

Information in aggregate form is used to: build our understanding of customer habits, interests and requirements; build marketing profiles; help with the strategic development of our site and service; track usage of the site; measure the success of our service.

Cookies

Cookies are small text files that web sites can send to your computer. A cookie can be thought of as an internet user's identification card, which tells a web site when the user has returned. Cookies are not computer programs, and can't read other information saved on your hard drive. They cannot be used to disseminate viruses, or get a user's e-mail address etc. They only contain and transfer to the web site as much information as the users themselves have disclosed to that web site.

Cookies make the interaction between users and web sites faster and easier. Without cookies, it would be very difficult for a web site to allow a visitor to fill up a shopping trolley or to remember the user's preferences or registration details for a future visit. The Booker website uses cookies to allow customers to move from one part of the web site to another and to add items to the shopping trolley without having to login repeatedly. It also allows us to give you accurate information about your account and order history.

The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 ("the Directive"), recognises that cookies are a "legitimate and useful tool" for many activities, including verifying the identity of web site users. The Directive makes it compulsory for web sites to inform users if cookies are being used, and to provide some information on how cookies are used. You can find more information on this subject at www.allaboutcookies.org. Please note that users can set their computers to reject cookies and you can find the instructions on how to do this at www.allaboutcookies.org. However, you should be aware that the Booker website (in common with most other shopping web sites) may not work correctly without cookies being fully enabled.

A full list of all the cookies we use can be found below.

Click here for the full list of cookies

Your continued use of this website shall be taken as consent to the placement of these cookies.

How we store your personal information

We use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology that provides 128-bit encryption on your information before it is sent to us. This means only our secure server can read your information.

We follow strict security procedures in the storage and disclosure of information, which you have given us, to prevent, unauthorised access or improper use. Our security procedures mean that we may occasionally request proof of identity before we are able to disclose sensitive information to you. We have a strict internal policy, which members of staff must comply with as a condition of employment and no external access to the system is permitted.

How we use your personal information

We use your personal information in order to: process orders; carry out market research; provide information about the products and services we offer; process payments and administer your account, verify your identity, deal with queries; run competitions and to help us provide the best possible service.

Disclosing information

We may share your information with other companies within the Booker Group. We may also pass your details to third parties who offer products and services which may be of interest to you. We will not pass your information to any third parties, if you have told us not to.

We may pass on some general statistical information about our customers, sales figures, traffic patterns and related matters to reputable third parties, but these details will not include personally identifying information. We may also disclose information about you if required to do so by law.

Your rights

If you do not wish to receive information about our products and services, or about services offered jointly with or on behalf of other organisations, you can decline the opportunity during registration.

You have a right to access the information we hold about you. You can request a copy of the personal information we possess and have any inaccuracies corrected. We may make a charge of £10 for providing these details to you. We will request proof of identity before processing such a request. Please make any requests for information to the Legal Department at the address below.

Updating your personal information

You are able to change the details you gave us when registering by clicking on 'Personal'. You can change your name, phone number, email address and password.

Changes to the Privacy Statement

We may change this statement from time to time by posting revisions on this site. Each time you enter this site you agree that the privacy statement current at that time shall apply to all data we hold about you.

Consent

By using our website you consent to the use of our personal data in the manner set out in this privacy statement.

Contact

If you have any queries or concerns about the privacy of your information, or how we use your information, please contact our Legal Department at Booker limited, Equity House, Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough, Northants, NN8 1LT.