Privacy Policy
Last updated: 29th July 2026
Effective from: 29th July 2026
1. Who we are
This website and online store are operated by Forward Element, (“we”, “us” or “our”).
For data-protection purposes, we are the controller of the personal information described in this policy.
Registered address: [ADDRESS]
Company number: [NUMBER, IF APPLICABLE]
Website: www.forward-element.com
Privacy contact: info@forward-element.com
Telephone: 07947 251553
Data Protection Officer: Nick Dorling | info@forward-element.com
This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect personal information when you visit our website, create an account, place an order, contact us, subscribe to marketing or otherwise interact with us.
2. Personal information we collect
Depending on how you use our website and store, we may collect:
Identity information: name, username, title and date of birth where genuinely required.
Contact information: billing address, delivery address, email address and telephone number.
Order information: products purchased, order number, delivery instructions, returns, refunds, warranties and correspondence concerning an order.
Payment information: payment status, payment method, transaction identifiers and limited payment-card information provided by our payment processor. We do not normally receive or store full payment-card details.
Account information: login details, saved addresses, preferences and order history.
Communications: messages, enquiries, complaints, reviews and customer-service records.
Marketing information: newsletter subscriptions, marketing preferences and interactions with marketing communications.
Technical information: IP address, browser and device information, operating system, time zone, website activity, referring pages and cookie or similar-technology identifiers.
Fraud and security information: information used to authenticate transactions, protect accounts, investigate suspicious activity and prevent fraud.
Social media information: profile information and interactions when you contact us through, or use features supplied by, a social-media platform.
Other information you choose to provide.
Please do not send us special-category information—such as health, biometric, political, religious or sexual-orientation information—unless we specifically request it and explain why it is needed.
3. How we collect information
We collect personal information:
directly from you, including when you order, register, complete a form, subscribe, post a review or contact us;
automatically through cookies and similar technologies when you use our website;
from payment providers, delivery companies, fraud-prevention providers and other businesses involved in fulfilling your order;
from advertising, analytics and social-media providers, where permitted by law and your consent choices;
from publicly available sources; and
from another person who places an order or makes an enquiry on your behalf.
If you provide another person’s information—for example, a gift recipient’s delivery details—you must be authorised to provide it and should direct that person to this policy.
4. Why we use personal information
We only use personal information when we have a lawful basis to do so.
Purpose
Information commonly used
Lawful basis
Process payments, fulfil orders, arrange delivery, manage returns and provide purchased products or services
Identity, contact, order, payment and communication information
Performance of a contract with you
Create and administer customer accounts
Identity, contact, account and order information
Performance of a contract; our legitimate interests in administering customer relationships
Answer enquiries and provide customer support
Identity, contact, order and communication information
Performance of a contract; steps requested before entering a contract; our legitimate interests in providing customer service
Keep accounting, tax, transaction and compliance records
Identity, contact, order and payment information
Compliance with legal obligations
Prevent fraud, misuse and security incidents and protect legal rights
Identity, contact, payment, technical, fraud and security information
Our legitimate interests in protecting customers, our business and our systems; compliance with legal obligations
Manage product reviews, promotions or surveys
Identity, contact, order and communication information
Consent where required; performance of promotion terms; our legitimate interests in improving and promoting our business
Send requested email or text marketing
Contact, marketing, account and order information
Consent, or the permitted existing-customer exception where applicable
Send relevant postal marketing or conduct limited business promotion
Identity, contact, marketing and order information
Our legitimate interests, subject to your right to object
Personalise advertising or measure non-essential website activity
Technical, marketing, account and order information
Consent where required
Operate essential website, basket, checkout, authentication and security features
Technical, account and order information
Performance of a contract; our legitimate interests; strictly necessary technology exemptions where applicable
Analyse and improve our website, products, services and customer experience
Technical, order, communication and aggregated information
Consent for non-essential cookies or similar technologies; otherwise our legitimate interests where permitted
Establish, exercise or defend legal claims
Relevant information connected with the claim
Our legitimate interests; compliance with legal obligations
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we assess whether the processing is necessary and whether your rights override our interests. You may contact us for information about this assessment.
Where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract, failing to provide the requested information may mean that we cannot accept or fulfil your order.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.
We will not use personal information for a new, incompatible purpose without first providing appropriate information and establishing a lawful basis.
5. Payments
Payments are processed by Squarespace Payments. Payment providers generally process payment credentials under their own privacy notices and security arrangements.
We receive information needed to confirm and administer the transaction, but we do not normally receive or store your complete payment-card number or card-security code.
You should review the relevant provider’s privacy policy: https://www.squarespace.com/privacy.
6. Marketing
If you opt in—or if applicable law otherwise permits us—we may send information about our products, offers and news.
You may stop direct marketing at any time by:
using the unsubscribe link in an email;
following the opt-out instructions in a text message;
changing your account preferences; or
contacting us at info@forward-element.com.
We may retain limited information on a suppression list so that we can honour an opt-out. This does not affect service messages about active orders, accounts, product safety or other non-marketing matters.
We do not sell personal information to third parties.
[If applicable, replace the preceding sentence with a precise explanation of any data “sale” or sharing for targeted advertising and the available opt-out mechanism.]
7. Cookies and similar technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies.
Some technologies are strictly necessary to operate functions such as security, account login, basket contents and checkout. Other technologies—such as analytics, personalisation or advertising tools—are used only after obtaining consent where the law requires it.
You can accept, reject or manage non-essential technologies through COOKIE PREFERENCES BUTTON. Withdrawing consent must be as easy as giving it.
For the names, providers, purposes and lifetimes of the technologies we use, see our www.forward-element.com/cookies.
Browser controls may also allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking essential technologies may prevent parts of the store from working correctly.
8. Who receives personal information
We may disclose personal information to:
website, ecommerce and hosting providers;
payment processors and financial institutions;
warehouses, suppliers, fulfilment providers, couriers and postal operators;
customer-service, communications and email providers;
IT, cybersecurity, backup and fraud-prevention providers;
analytics, advertising and social-media providers, subject to applicable consent requirements;
professional advisers, insurers, auditors and accountants;
regulators, courts, law-enforcement agencies and public authorities where disclosure is legally required or necessary to protect rights;
a prospective buyer, seller or adviser in connection with a merger, restructuring, financing or sale of all or part of our business; and
other parties where you direct us or give valid consent.
Our principal service providers are Squarespace, Squarespace Payments, and Google Workspace.
Providers acting on our instructions may use personal information only for authorised purposes and must protect it appropriately. Some recipients, such as payment providers and delivery companies, may also act as independent controllers for parts of their processing.
9. International transfers
Some recipients may process personal information outside the UK or European Economic Area.
Where international-transfer restrictions apply, we use a legally recognised mechanism, such as:
a UK adequacy regulation or European Commission adequacy decision;
the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses;
the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum;
another approved safeguard; or
a limited statutory exception where appropriate.
Where required, we also assess whether supplementary safeguards are necessary in the destination country.
Contact us at info@forward-element.com if you would like further information about the relevant transfer mechanism or a copy of applicable safeguards. We may redact commercially confidential information.
10. How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, including legal, accounting, tax, warranty, fraud-prevention and dispute requirements.
Our usual retention periods are:
Information
Usual retention period
Order, invoice, payment and tax records
SIX YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL YEAR
Customer account
While active, then 30 days after closure or inactivity
Customer-service correspondence
365 days after the matter is resolved
Marketing records
Until opt-out or consent withdrawal, plus limited suppression information
Website technical logs
7 Days
We may keep information longer where required by law, where a dispute or investigation is anticipated or active, or where needed to establish, exercise or defend legal claims. We may retain irreversibly anonymised information indefinitely because it no longer identifies an individual.
11. Security
We use appropriate technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure or destruction. These may include access controls, encryption, secure hosting, staff confidentiality requirements, backups, monitoring and provider due diligence.
No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for keeping account credentials confidential and should contact us promptly if you believe your account has been compromised.
12. Your rights
Depending on the circumstances and the law that applies to you, you may have the right to:
be informed about how we use your information;
request access to your personal information;
request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
request deletion of your information;
request restriction of processing;
receive certain information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and transmit it to another controller;
object to processing based on legitimate interests;
object at any time to direct marketing;
withdraw consent at any time;
request safeguards relating to certain decisions made solely through automated processing; and
complain to a supervisory authority.
These rights are not absolute, and legal exceptions may apply.
To exercise a right, contact info@forward-element.com. Please describe your request clearly. We may ask for information reasonably necessary to confirm your identity. We will normally respond without undue delay and within one month, subject to any lawful extension.
You will not normally have to pay a fee. A reasonable fee may apply, or a request may be refused, where permitted by law—for example, if it is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
13. Automated decision-making
Version A — no significant automated decisions:We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects for you.
14. Children
Our website and store are not directed at children under 12, and children under that age must not create an account or place an order.
We do not knowingly collect children’s information except where lawful and necessary. If you believe a child has provided information contrary to this policy, contact us at info@forward-element.com.
15. Third-party websites and services
Our website may contain links to websites, plugins or services operated by others. We do not control their privacy practices. Their own privacy notices apply when you use those services.
16. Complaints
Please contact us first at info@forward-element.com so that we can try to resolve your concern.
If you are in the UK, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:
Information Commissioner’s OfficeWebsite: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/Telephone: 0303 123 1113
If EU GDPR applies, you may complain to the data-protection authority in the EU country where you live, work or believe an infringement occurred. A list of EU authorities is available through the European Data Protection Board at https://www.edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en.
You also have the right to seek a judicial remedy.
17. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our practices, services or legal obligations change. The current version will be posted on this page with a revised “last updated” date.
If a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring it to your attention and obtain consent where required.
18. Contact us
Questions, requests and complaints concerning this policy or our use of personal information should be sent to:
Forward Element
Email: info@forward-element.com
Telephone: 07947 251553