Privacy Policy

1. Data Controller

Mercia Research Limited
Company Number: 17189709
Registered Office: 5th Floor, 167–169 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PF, United Kingdom
Email: info@merciaresearch.com

2. Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with the Website, we may collect:

• Identity Information: Full name, billing name
• Contact Information: Email address, telephone number, billing and delivery address
• Order Information: Products purchased, order history, transaction references, delivery information
• Technical Information: IP address, browser type and version, device information, operating system, referring website, website usage information
• Marketing Information: Marketing preferences, newsletter subscription status, communication preferences
• Correspondence Information: Customer support enquiries, emails, contact form submissions, feedback and reviews

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data.

3. How We Use Personal Data

• Order Fulfilment: Processing orders, arranging delivery, providing customer support, managing returns and refunds
• Website Administration: Maintaining Website functionality, troubleshooting, preventing abuse and fraud, improving performance
• Marketing Communications: Where you have provided consent, we may send newsletters, product updates, and educational content. You may unsubscribe at any time.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Complying with legal obligations, maintaining accounting records, preventing fraud, responding to lawful requests from authorities

4. Lawful Bases for Processing

• Contract — to fulfil your order and provide requested services.
• Legal Obligation — to keep commercial records for the period required by HMRC and other UK statutes.
• Legitimate Interests — to operate the Website, improve services, maintain security, and prevent misuse.
• Consent — for the newsletter subscription and analytics cookies where required. You may withdraw consent at any time.

5. Marketing Communications

If you subscribe to receive marketing communications, we may send information regarding company updates, new products, research and educational content, and promotions. Marketing communications will only be sent where permitted by law. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in marketing emails or contacting us directly.

6. Sharing Personal Data

We do not sell personal data. We may share personal data with trusted service providers where necessary:

• Payment providers — to process payments securely
• Delivery providers — to fulfil and deliver orders
• Website and hosting providers — to operate and secure the Website
• Analytics providers — including Google Analytics
• Professional advisers — including accountants, legal advisers, insurers, and compliance consultants
• Regulatory authorities — where disclosure is required by law

Where a processor is outside the UK, we ensure transfers are covered by adequacy regulations or the UK International Data Transfer Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

7. Google Analytics

The Website uses Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors interact with the Website. Google Analytics may collect information including pages viewed, session duration, device information, browser information, and approximate geographic location. Analytics information is generally aggregated and used to improve Website performance and user experience. You may control analytics cookies through the Website's cookie preferences settings.

8. Data Retention

• Order records: 6 years from the date of the order, to meet UK accounting/HMRC requirements.
• Contact-form messages: 24 months from receipt, then deleted.
• Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe.
• Server logs: 30 days for security-monitoring purposes.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. Despite our efforts, no system is completely secure; please notify us immediately at info@merciaresearch.com if you suspect a breach.

10. Your Rights Under UK GDPR

• Right of access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to erasure — ask us to delete your data subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to restrict or object to processing
• Right to data portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to withdraw consent (e.g. from the newsletter) at any time
• Right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk

To exercise any right, email orders@merciaresearch.com from the email address associated with your record. We will respond within one calendar month.

11. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle personal data, we encourage you to contact us first. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or telephone 0303 123 1113.

12. International Data Transfers

Some service providers used by Mercia Research may process data outside the United Kingdom. Where personal data is transferred internationally, we will take appropriate measures designed to ensure an adequate level of protection in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

13. Cookies

We use a single, strictly-necessary HTTP-only session cookie when you sign in to the admin area. We do not set any analytics, advertising or third-party tracking cookies on the public site without consent. Please see our Cookie Policy for full details.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of the page records when changes were made. Material changes will be highlighted at the top of the page for at least 30 days.

15. Contact

For any privacy enquiry email info@merciaresearch.com or write to us at: Mercia Research Limited, 5th Floor, 167–169 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5PF, United Kingdom.