Privacy policy

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 2026

Helen Russell Creations is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you visit our website, purchase products from us, subscribe to our newsletters, contact us, or otherwise interact with our business.

This policy is designed to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable UK data protection laws.

1. Data Controller

Helen Russell Creations is the Data Controller responsible for your personal data.

Contact Details

Helen Russell Creations

Email: helen@helenrussellcreations.com

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details above.

2. What Is Personal Data?

Personal data means any information that can identify an individual directly or indirectly. Examples include:

  • Name
  • Postal address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Order history
  • Payment-related transaction information
  • Website usage information

We only collect personal data that is necessary for legitimate business purposes.

3. How We Collect Personal Data

We may collect personal data when:

  • You place an order through our website
  • You create a customer account
  • You subscribe to our newsletter
  • You contact us by email, telephone or social media
  • You comment on blog posts
  • You purchase products at events or exhibitions
  • You visit our website

4. Categories of Personal Data We Process

Consumer Customers

We may collect:

  • Name
  • Billing address
  • Delivery address
  • Email address
  • Telephone number (where provided)
  • Order history
  • Product preferences
  • Customer account information

Trade Customers and Stockists

We may collect:

  • Contact names
  • Business names
  • Business addresses
  • Email addresses
  • Telephone numbers
  • Purchase history

Suppliers

We may collect:

  • Contact names
  • Business contact details
  • Business addresses
  • Email addresses
  • Telephone numbers

Website Users

We may collect:

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Device information
  • Website usage information
  • Cookie data

5. Why We Process Your Personal Data

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data.

Contract

We process personal data to:

  • Fulfil customer orders
  • Deliver products
  • Process payments
  • Respond to enquiries
  • Manage commissions and bespoke orders

Legitimate Interests

We may process personal data to:

  • Improve our products and services
  • Analyse website performance
  • Understand customer purchasing trends
  • Manage business relationships with stockists and suppliers
  • Prevent fraud and misuse of our services

We always balance our legitimate interests against your privacy rights.

Consent

We rely on consent for:

  • Marketing emails and newsletters
  • Certain cookies and analytics technologies where required

You may withdraw consent at any time.

Legal Obligations

We may process personal data to:

  • Meet tax and accounting requirements
  • Comply with legal or regulatory obligations
  • Respond to lawful requests from public authorities

6. Payment Processing

We do not store or have access to your full payment card details.

Payments are processed securely through third-party payment providers including Shopify Payments, PayPal and Square.

These providers act as independent data controllers and process payment information in accordance with their own privacy policies.

7. Email Communications and Marketing

Newsletters

We use Mailchimp to manage our email marketing.

We will only send marketing emails where:

  • You have provided your consent; or
  • We are otherwise permitted to do so under applicable electronic marketing laws.

You may unsubscribe at any time by:

  • Clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email; or
  • Contacting us directly.

Customer Service Communications

Where you have made an enquiry or placed an order, we may contact you regarding:

  • Orders
  • Deliveries
  • Commissions
  • Customer support requests

These communications are necessary for the performance of our contract with you.

 

8. Website Analytics and Cookies

We use cookies and analytics tools, including Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use our website.

Cookies may collect information such as:

  • Website usage patterns
  • Device information
  • Browser information
  • Approximate location information

Where required by law, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings and our website cookie controls.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies provided by Shopify and selected third-party providers to ensure the website functions correctly, improve user experience, analyse website performance and support marketing activities.

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We use essential cookies that enable:

  • Secure checkout and payment processing
  • Shopping cart functionality
  • Website security and fraud prevention
  • Storage of cookie consent preferences
  • Customer account and Shop Pay functionality

Examples may include:

  • _shopify_test
  • cart_currency
  • CookieConsent
  • consentHeader
  • _shop_app_essential
  • _shopify_essential
  • login_with_shop_finalize
  • bugsnag-anonymous-id

These cookies cannot be disabled through our cookie management system because the website would not function correctly without them.

Preference Cookies

We use preference cookies to remember settings such as language, region and localisation preferences.

Example:

  • localization

Analytics Cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting information about page visits, navigation patterns and website performance.

Examples may include:

  • _shopify_analytics
  • _shs_state
  • wpm-ri-#
  • ri-#

These cookies are only used where you have provided consent.

Marketing Cookies

Marketing cookies help us understand the effectiveness of our advertising and email marketing campaigns.

Examples may include:

  • _shopify_y
  • _shopify_s
  • _shopify_marketing
  • mailchimp-pixel:context
  • intuit_pixel_sdk_user_data
  • intuit_pixel_sdk_session_data

These cookies may track interactions across websites and marketing communications to help us improve our services and marketing activities.

These cookies are only used where you have provided consent.

Managing Cookie Preferences

You can manage or withdraw your cookie consent at any time using our cookie preference tool.

You can also configure your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Please note that some parts of the website may not function correctly if essential cookies are disabled.

9. Who We Share Data With

We only share personal data where necessary.

Recipients may include:

  • Shopify
  • PayPal
  • Square
  • Mailchimp
  • Google
  • Website hosting providers
  • Professional advisers and accountants
  • Delivery and courier companies
  • Regulatory authorities where legally required

We do not sell personal data to third parties.

10. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.

Where international transfers occur, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

  • UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs)
  • UK Addendum to Standard Contractual Clauses
  • Adequacy Regulations approved by the UK Government
  • Other legally recognised safeguards

11. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data.

These measures include:

  • Password-protected systems
  • Multi-factor authentication where available
  • Secure hosting environments
  • SSL encryption on our website
  • Restricted access to personal data
  • Regular software and security updates
  • Physical security measures for paper records

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; however, we work to maintain appropriate levels of protection.

12. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary.

Typical retention periods include:

Financial and Tax Records

Retained for up to 7 years to comply with legal and accounting obligations.

Customer Order Information

Retained for as long as reasonably necessary to administer customer relationships, fulfil legal obligations and manage business records.

Marketing Information

Retained until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe.

Supplier and Stockist Information

Reviewed periodically and deleted when no longer required.

When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or destroyed.

13. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Correct inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of your personal data
  • Restrict processing
  • Object to processing
  • Request transfer of your data to another organisation (data portability)
  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent
  • Not be subject to automated decision-making that has legal or similarly significant effects

Some rights may be subject to legal exemptions.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact:

helen@helenrussellcreations.com

14. Data Breaches

In the event of a personal data breach, we will:

  • Investigate the incident promptly inline with ICO guidelines
  • Take steps to minimise any impact
  • Notify the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) where legally required
  • Notify affected individuals where required by law

15. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first using the details provided in this Privacy Policy so that we can try to resolve your concerns.. We will investigate your concern and aim to respond within 30 days. If you remain dissatisfied, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

www.ico.org.uk

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

The latest version will always be available on our website and will include the date of the most recent update.

Third-Party Privacy Policies

Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/uk/legalhub/privacy-full

Square: https://squareup.com/gb/en/legal/general/privacy

Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy

Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Google Analytics: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites