Privacy Policy

Last updated:

1. Agency and Contact Details

Under the Privacy Act 2020 (New Zealand), we are the agency responsible for your personal information. Our details are:

Herbalbios
155 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand
Email: customer@herbalbios.world
Phone: +64 27 364 4841

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit herbalbios.world or contact us about group walks. We comply with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) set out in that Act. Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies to individuals in the European Economic Area, we also respect those rights.

3. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

  • Identity information: your name
  • Contact information: email address, phone number (if you provide it)
  • Communication information: messages you send through our contact form
  • Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and referral source
  • Cookie and consent information: preferences stored through our cookie consent mechanism

We collect personal information directly from you when you submit our contact form or communicate with us. Technical information may be collected automatically when you browse our website.

4. Why We Collect Information and How We Use It

We collect and use personal information only where we have a lawful purpose connected with our functions or activities. Our purposes include:

  • Responding to enquiries about group walks and walking groups (IPP 10 — collection for lawful purpose)
  • Organising and communicating about walking groups and monthly walks
  • Improving our website and understanding how visitors use our content (with consent where required for analytics and marketing technologies)
  • Complying with legal obligations under New Zealand law
  • Managing online advertising measurement where you have consented to marketing cookies

We will not use your personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was collected, unless we believe on reasonable grounds that the new use is directly related to the original purpose, or we obtain your authorisation, or the use is otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act 2020.

5. Collection Notice

When you submit our contact form, we ask for your name, email address, and message. Providing this information is voluntary. However, if you do not provide the requested details, we may be unable to respond to your enquiry. By submitting the form and ticking the consent box, you authorise us to collect and use your information to respond to your message and for the purposes described in this policy.

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may disclose personal information to:

  • Service providers who assist with website hosting, email delivery, analytics, or advertising measurement, subject to appropriate contractual safeguards
  • Professional advisers where reasonably necessary
  • Law enforcement or regulatory bodies when required or authorised by New Zealand law

Some service providers may be located outside New Zealand. Before disclosing personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient protects the information in a manner consistent with the Privacy Act 2020 (IPP 12).

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Contact form submissions are generally retained for up to 24 months from the date of your last communication. Technical and analytics data may be retained for up to 26 months. Cookie consent preferences are stored locally on your device until you clear your browser data.

8. Your Rights Under New Zealand Law

Under the Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:

  • Request access to personal information we hold about you (IPP 6)
  • Request correction of personal information that you believe is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading (IPP 7)
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal

We will respond to access and correction requests within a reasonable time and in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. In some circumstances, we may refuse a request where permitted by law. If we refuse a request, we will explain the reason.

If you are in the European Economic Area, you may also have additional rights under the GDPR, including the right to erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your country of residence.

To exercise your rights, contact us at customer@herbalbios.world.

9. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first. We will investigate your complaint and aim to respond within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (New Zealand):

Website: www.privacy.org.nz
Phone: 0800 803 909 (New Zealand)

10. Data Security and Privacy Breaches

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, or disclosure. These steps include HTTPS encryption, access controls, and periodic review of our information handling practices.

If we become aware of a privacy breach that has caused or is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and affected individuals as required under the Privacy Act 2020.

11. Electronic Communications

If we send you electronic messages in response to your enquiry or about walks you have expressed interest in, we will do so in accordance with the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007. Marketing or promotional messages, if any, will include a clear way to opt out. Enquiry responses to messages you have initiated are not unsolicited commercial messages.

12. Online Advertising

We may use online advertising services, including Google Ads, to reach people interested in group walks. Where marketing or analytics technologies are used, they are activated only in accordance with your cookie choices. Third-party advertising partners may collect or receive information about your visits to this and other websites to provide measurement services and, where permitted, deliver relevant ads. You can learn more about how Google uses data at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

13. Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without appropriate parental or guardian authorisation. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. Material changes will be posted on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

15. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to make an access or correction request, contact us at customer@herbalbios.world or write to 155 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8013, New Zealand.