Privacy Policy

1 Introduction & Our Commitment

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected through our website, web application, and all related services (collectively, the "Service"). FoodGuard is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the thirteen Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in Schedule 1 of that Act.

By using FoodGuard, you consent to the collection and handling of personal information as described in this policy. We will not use or disclose your personal information except as set out here or as permitted by law.

2 What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for providing the Service. We will not collect personal information in an unfair or intrusive way (APP 3).

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account details (name, email address, password, business name, phone number)
• Business profile (establishment details, food business licence number, staff count, state/territory of operation)
• Food safety compliance data (temperature logs, cleaning records, supplier delivery records, food process records)
• Staff information (names recorded against completed tasks, illness register entries)
• Support correspondence (requests, feedback, and communications)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Log data (IP address, browser type, pages visited, timestamps)
• Device information (hardware model, operating system, unique device identifiers)
• Usage analytics (features used, actions performed, frequency)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7)

2.3 Staff Personal Information

As part of using the Service, you may enter personal information about your staff (such as names and illness details for the staff illness register). By entering this information, you warrant that you have obtained any consents required and have a lawful basis for providing that information to FoodGuard. You agree to inform your staff that their information may be recorded in the Service in accordance with this policy.

2.4 Payment Information via Stripe

3 How We Use Your Personal Information

We use personal information only for the primary purpose for which it was collected, or a directly related secondary purpose, or where you have consented (APP 6). We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Service
• Process transactions and manage your subscription via Stripe
• Send transactional emails (confirmations, receipts, compliance alerts, and overdue task notifications)
• Provide customer support and respond to enquiries
• Monitor and analyse usage to improve the Service
• Send marketing communications (only with your express or implied consent in accordance with the Spam Act 2003 (Cth))
• Detect and prevent fraudulent activity and ensure platform security
• Generate aggregated, de-identified analytics about platform usage
• Comply with applicable laws and legal obligations

4 Disclosure of Personal Information

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We may disclose personal information to trusted service providers who assist in delivering the Service, including Stripe (payment processing), cloud hosting providers, email delivery services, and analytics tools. These providers are engaged under contractual arrangements that require them to handle your personal information only to perform services on our behalf and in accordance with the APPs.

4.2 Overseas Disclosure

Some of our service providers may be located outside Australia (including the United States). Before disclosing personal information to an overseas recipient, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient does not breach the APPs in relation to your information (APP 8). By using the Service, you acknowledge that overseas disclosure may occur in these circumstances.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required or authorised by Australian law, a court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of FoodGuard, our users, or the public.

4.4 No Sale of Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing or commercial purposes.

5 Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law (APP 11.2). Our standard retention periods are:

• Account information: Duration of your account plus up to 3 years after closure
• Food safety compliance and inspection records: Up to 7 years to support regulatory requirements under applicable food safety legislation
• Payment records: As required under Australian financial and taxation laws (typically 7 years)
• Staff illness register data: Duration of the staff member's employment record plus applicable statutory period
• Log and analytics data: Up to 24 months

You may request deletion of your personal information at any time, subject to legal retention obligations. We will destroy or de-identify information that is no longer needed.

6 Quality & Accuracy of Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, up to date, complete, and relevant (APP 10). If you believe that any personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to correct it.

7 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

FoodGuard uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience:

• Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (login sessions, security tokens)
• Functional cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand usage patterns and improve functionality
• Marketing cookies: Deliver relevant communications (only with your consent)

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling certain cookies may affect Service functionality.

8 Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure (APP 11). Our security measures include:

• TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Role-based access controls limiting staff data access

While we implement these measures, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and protect your account credentials. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

9 Your Privacy Rights (APP 12 & 13)

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at admin@foodguard.com.au. We will respond within 30 days. We will not charge a fee for access requests unless the request is complex or resource-intensive, in which case we will notify you of any applicable fee in advance.

10 Privacy Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), you may lodge a complaint with us first by contacting admin@foodguard.com.au. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by calling 1300 363 992.

11 Children's Privacy

The Service is intended for use by businesses and is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that a child's data has been collected without appropriate consent, we will promptly destroy or de-identify that information.

12 Anonymity & Pseudonymity

Where lawful and practicable, we offer users the option to interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym (APP 2). However, to access the full features of the Service — including compliance record-keeping — you are required to provide your identity and business details.

13 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14 Contact Us

For privacy questions, concerns, or requests, or to access a copy of this policy in an alternative format, please contact our Privacy Officer:

• admin@foodguard.com.au