Privacy Policy
The French Kitchen Operated by Artisan Gourmet Retail Pty Ltd
Effective date: 8 November 2024 Last updated: 24 April 2026
1. About this policy
Artisan Gourmet Retail Pty Ltd ("we", "us", "our") operates The French Kitchen retail business, including the website at [www.thefrenchkitchen.com.au] (the "Website"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and handling it in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use and disclose it, how we keep it secure, and the choices you have. By using the Website, placing an order, subscribing to our newsletter, or otherwise providing personal information to us, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
2. What personal information we collect
We collect the following types of personal information:
Identity and contact information: your name, email address, postal and delivery addresses, and phone number.
Order and transaction information: items purchased, order history, delivery preferences, and dietary or allergen notes you provide for cake or catering orders.
Account and loyalty information: if you create an account or join our loyalty program, we collect your login details (excluding passwords, which are stored in encrypted form by our platform provider), preferences, points balances, and reward history.
Payment information: payment card details are entered directly into our payment provider's secure systems and are not stored by us. We receive only a confirmation of payment and limited details such as the card type and last four digits.
Enquiry information: information you submit through catering or cake order enquiry forms, including event details, guest numbers, and any specific requirements.
Marketing preferences: your subscription status and engagement with our marketing emails.
Technical and usage information: IP address, device and browser type, pages visited, referring URLs, and interactions with the Website. This is collected automatically via cookies and similar technologies (see section 8).
We do not generally collect sensitive information. If you provide health or dietary information in connection with a cake or catering order (for example, allergy details), we treat it as sensitive information under the Privacy Act and only use it for the purpose for which it was provided.
3. How we collect personal information
We collect personal information directly from you when you:
- place an order or check out on the Website;
- create a customer account or join our loyalty program;
- submit a catering or cake order enquiry form;
- subscribe to our newsletter or marketing emails;
- contact us by email, phone, or in store;
- visit one of our retail locations and use a service that requires your details.
We also collect information automatically when you browse the Website, through cookies and analytics tools (see section 8).
In some cases, we may receive personal information from third parties, such as delivery partners (for example, address corrections), payment providers (for example, payment confirmation), or marketing platforms (for example, where you have engaged with our advertising).
4. Why we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
- to process and fulfil your orders, including payment processing and delivery;
- to respond to your enquiries about catering, cakes, products, or our services;
- to manage your customer account and loyalty program membership;
- to send transactional communications, such as order confirmations and delivery updates;
- to send marketing communications about our products, offers, and events, where you have subscribed or where permitted by law;
- to personalise your experience on the Website and improve our products, services, and marketing;
- to analyse Website usage and measure the effectiveness of our marketing;
- to maintain the security of the Website and our systems, and to detect and prevent fraud;
- to comply with our legal obligations, including under tax, consumer protection, food safety, and accounting laws;
- to enforce our terms and protect our legal rights.
If we propose to use your personal information for a purpose other than one set out above, we will seek your consent or otherwise comply with the Privacy Act.
5. Direct marketing
We may send you marketing communications by email if you have subscribed to our newsletter, made a purchase, or otherwise opted in. Every marketing email we send includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time by clicking that link or by contacting us using the details in section 12. Once you unsubscribe, we will stop sending you marketing emails, although we may still send you transactional messages (such as order confirmations).
6. Who we disclose personal information to
We disclose personal information to third parties only as needed to operate our business and provide our products and services. These recipients include:
Shopify Inc. and its affiliates (including Shopify International Limited): our e-commerce platform provider. Shopify hosts the Website, processes orders, and provides Shopify Payments services. Shopify may store data in Canada, the United States, Ireland, and other locations.
Payment providers (including Shopify Payments, Stripe, and PayPal): to process payments securely. These providers handle card details directly under their own privacy and security standards.
Email marketing platform (such as Klaviyo or Mailchimp): to send newsletters, promotional emails, and abandoned cart reminders, and to manage your subscription preferences.
Shipping and delivery partners (including Australia Post and other couriers): to deliver your orders. We share the name, address, and phone number needed for delivery.
Analytics and advertising platforms (including Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, and Meta Pixel): to measure Website performance, understand how customers use the Website, and deliver targeted advertising. These platforms use cookies and similar technologies and may receive identifiers, IP addresses, and information about your activity on the Website.
Professional advisers and service providers: including our accountants, auditors, lawyers, IT and cybersecurity providers, and customer support tools, where reasonably necessary.
Government, regulatory, and law enforcement bodies: where required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.
Acquirers and successors: if we sell or restructure all or part of our business, personal information may be transferred to the buyer or successor entity, subject to the same protections set out in this policy.
We require our service providers to handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and only for the purposes for which we engage them.
7. Overseas disclosure
Some of the third parties listed in section 6 are located outside Australia or store data overseas. In particular:
- Shopify primarily stores data in Canada, the United States, and Ireland.
- Stripe and PayPal store data in the United States and other jurisdictions where they operate.
- Google and Meta store data in the United States and other countries where their infrastructure is located.
- Klaviyo and Mailchimp store data in the United States.
When we disclose personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient handles your information consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles, including by entering into contractual arrangements with our providers.
8. Cookies and similar technologies
The Website uses cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to operate, secure, and improve the Website, remember your preferences, and support marketing.
Strictly necessary cookies are required for the Website and checkout to function, including session management and cart functionality.
Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) help us understand how visitors use the Website so we can improve it.
Advertising cookies (Google Ads, Meta Pixel) allow us and our advertising partners to show you relevant advertising on other websites and platforms, and to measure the performance of our advertising.
You can control cookies through your browser settings, by using any cookie banner or preference tool we provide, and by adjusting your advertising preferences with Google and Meta directly. Disabling some cookies may affect Website functionality.
9. Data security and retention
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure. These steps include using reputable platform providers (such as Shopify) that implement industry-standard encryption, access controls, and monitoring; using secure payment providers that handle card data under PCI DSS standards; restricting staff access to personal information on a need-to-know basis; and maintaining administrative and technical safeguards over our systems.
However, no system is completely secure. You are responsible for keeping your account password confidential and notifying us promptly of any suspected unauthorised use of your account.
We retain personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes set out in this policy, or for as long as required by law. For example, we retain transaction and tax records for at least seven years to meet our obligations under Australian tax law. Where personal information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.
10. Your rights
Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to:
Access the personal information we hold about you. We will provide access in accordance with the Privacy Act, generally within 30 days. We may charge a reasonable fee for retrieving and providing the information.
Correct personal information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading. You can update much of your information directly through your account on the Website, or contact us using the details in section 12.
Withdraw consent to direct marketing at any time by using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us.
Make an anonymous or pseudonymous enquiry where it is lawful and practicable for us to deal with you in that way.
Make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information (see section 11).
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in section 12. We may need to verify your identity before acting on your request.
11. Complaints
If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, please contact us using the details in section 12 and provide details of your concern. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to investigate and respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
- Website: www.oaic.gov.au
- Phone: 1300 363 992
- Post: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001
12. How to contact us
You can contact us about this policy or any privacy matter at:
Privacy Officer Artisan Gourmet Retail Pty Ltd (trading as The French Kitchen) Email: privacy@thefrenchkitchen.com.au Post: 1/19 Victoria Avenue Castle Hill NSW 2154
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The current version will always be available on the Website, and we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of the policy. Where the changes are significant, we will take additional steps to notify you, such as by email or a notice on the Website.