Privacy Policy
The Crystal Way
Last updated: 23 October 2026
1. Introduction
Welcome to The Crystal Way.
Your privacy matters to us. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being open about how we collect, use, store and share it.
This Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information when you visit our website, place an order or contact us.
We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Who We Are
The Crystal Way is operated by Sambridge Health Foods Ltd, which is responsible for deciding how and why personal information is used through this website.
Business details
Sambridge Health Foods Ltd
Trading as The Crystal Way
82 High Street
Braintree
Essex
CM7 1JP
United Kingdom
Email: richard@thecrystalway.co.uk
Website: https://thecrystalway.co.uk
For data protection purposes, Sambridge Health Foods Ltd is the data controller.
Please contact us using the email address above if you have any questions about this policy or how your information is handled.
3. Information We Collect
We collect information necessary to operate our website, process purchases and provide customer service.
Depending on how you use our website, this may include:
Information you provide when ordering
- Your name
- Billing and delivery addresses
- Email address
- Telephone number, where provided or required for delivery
- Products purchased, order values and transaction details
- Delivery instructions and information you include in order notes
Information you provide when contacting us
- Your name and contact details
- The contents of your enquiry
- Relevant order information
- Correspondence relating to customer service, returns or refunds
Technical and website information
When you use our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:
- IP address
- Browser and device information
- Website access and security logs
- Cookies and similar technologies
- Information necessary to maintain your shopping basket and checkout session
We do not ask customers to provide sensitive personal information when purchasing products. Please avoid including unnecessary sensitive information in order notes or enquiries.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use personal information only where we have a valid legal basis.
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Processing orders, taking payments, arranging delivery and handling contractual returns | Performance of a contract |
| Responding to pre-purchase enquiries and taking steps requested before an order | Steps before entering into a contract |
| Maintaining tax, accounting and legally required business records | Legal obligation |
| Handling customer enquiries, resolving disputes and improving customer service | Legitimate interests in providing effective customer support and managing our business |
| Protecting our website, investigating suspected fraud and preventing misuse | Legitimate interests in protecting customers, transactions and our business, or legal obligation where applicable |
| Using non-essential cookies or similar technologies where consent is required | Consent |
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the necessity of the processing and its impact on your rights and freedoms.
We do not use the email address provided at checkout to automatically subscribe you to marketing emails.
5. Orders and Payments
Our online shop is powered by WooCommerce.
When you place an order, we use the information you provide to:
- Confirm and process your purchase
- Take payment securely
- Arrange packing and delivery
- Send order confirmations and delivery-related communications
- Handle returns, refunds and customer enquiries
- Maintain appropriate financial and transaction records
Our active payment service is WooPayments, which uses payment-processing infrastructure provided in partnership with Stripe.
Payment providers receive information necessary to process and verify transactions, such as billing details, transaction amounts and payment identifiers.
Your full payment card number and card security code are handled through secure payment infrastructure and are not stored in our website’s WooCommerce database.
Payment providers may process personal information in accordance with their own privacy notices and applicable legal obligations.
6. Delivery and Fulfilment Partners
Some products are dispatched directly by The Crystal Way, while others are fulfilled by our trusted supplier, Ancient Wisdom / AW Dropship.
Where necessary to complete your order, we may share relevant information with our fulfilment partners and delivery companies, including:
- Your name
- Delivery address
- Contact telephone number, where necessary
- Order contents
- Delivery instructions
This information is shared for order fulfilment, delivery and related customer service purposes.
We do not authorise fulfilment partners to use information supplied for your order for their own unrelated marketing.
7. Website Hosting and Technical Services
Our website is hosted through IONOS and operates using WordPress and WooCommerce.
These services may process or store personal information required to operate the website, maintain security, process orders and provide technical support.
We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information and restrict access to those who need it for legitimate business purposes.
No internet-based service can guarantee absolute security, but we take reasonable steps to protect the information entrusted to us.
8. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support essential functions, including shopping baskets, checkout, security and remembering applicable preferences.
We use the Complianz consent management plugin to provide information about cookies and manage consent choices where required.
Non-essential cookies and similar technologies that require consent should only be activated in accordance with your preferences.
You can review or change your cookie preferences through the cookie consent controls available on our website.
For further details, including the cookies and services identified on our website, please see our Cookie Policy (UK).
9. Marketing Communications
We do not currently use email addresses collected through checkout for newsletters or promotional marketing.
If we introduce a newsletter in the future, we intend to provide a separate, optional subscription process and explain how that information will be used.
Purchasing from The Crystal Way will not automatically subscribe you to a newsletter.
Essential service communications, such as order confirmations, payment updates and delivery information, are not marketing messages.
10. How Long We Keep Your Information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including applicable legal, accounting and tax requirements.
The period depends on the type of information and why it is needed.
Order and financial records
Relevant transaction and accounting records are generally retained for approximately six years, or longer where required by applicable law, an ongoing dispute or another legitimate legal requirement.
Customer enquiries
Correspondence is retained for as long as reasonably necessary to resolve enquiries, manage complaints and maintain appropriate records.
Incomplete or unsuccessful orders
Information relating to incomplete, failed or cancelled orders is retained only for an appropriate period based on operational, fraud-prevention and legal requirements, after which it is deleted or anonymised where appropriate.
Website and security information
Technical logs and security-related information are retained for periods appropriate to their purpose and the settings of the relevant services.
Where information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymise it securely.
11. Who We Share Information With
We do not sell customer personal information.
Where necessary, personal information may be shared with:
- WooPayments, Stripe and relevant payment-processing partners
- Ancient Wisdom / AW Dropship and other relevant fulfilment providers
- Postal, courier and delivery companies
- IONOS and technical service providers supporting our website
- WordPress/WooCommerce-related service providers where required by enabled functionality
- Accountants and professional advisers where necessary
- Public authorities, regulators or law enforcement where legally required
We limit information sharing to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
Some service providers act as data processors on our behalf, while others may act as independent controllers for particular activities.
12. International Data Transfers
Although The Crystal Way operates in the United Kingdom, some technology and payment service providers may process or access personal information outside the UK.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take steps to ensure that an appropriate transfer mechanism or safeguard applies where required by UK data protection law.
Depending on the destination and provider, this may include UK adequacy regulations, an appropriate international data transfer agreement, the UK Addendum to standard contractual clauses, or another lawful mechanism.
You may contact us if you would like further information about the safeguards applicable to a particular transfer.
13. Your Data Protection Rights
Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Rectification: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
- Restriction: Ask us to restrict how your information is processed in certain circumstances.
- Data portability: Receive certain information in a portable format where the legal requirements apply.
- Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances.
- Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.
You also have rights relating to certain types of automated decision-making, where applicable.
These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions. For example, we may need to retain transaction records to comply with accounting or tax obligations even if you request deletion.
You have the right to object to processing based on our legitimate interests. You also have an absolute right to object to processing for direct marketing.
To exercise your rights, email:
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
We will respond within the time limits required by applicable data protection law.
14. Providing Your Information
Certain information, such as your name, delivery address, email address and necessary payment details, is required to process and fulfil an online order.
If you choose not to provide information necessary for a purchase, we may be unable to complete the transaction.
Other information may be optional, depending on the circumstances.
15. Automated Decision-Making
We do not use customer personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects as part of our own retail decision-making.
Payment and fraud-prevention providers may operate automated security or risk-assessment systems under their own responsibilities and privacy arrangements.
16. Children’s Privacy
Our website is intended for general shopping and is not specifically directed at children.
We do not knowingly seek to collect personal information from children for marketing purposes.
If you believe a child has provided personal information to us inappropriately, please contact us.
17. External Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.
18. Complaints
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so that we can investigate and try to resolve the matter.
Email: richard@thecrystalway.co.uk
You also have the right to complain to the UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Website: https://ico.org.uk
19. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our website, business operations, service providers or applicable law.
The latest version will be published on this page with an updated revision date.
Where changes materially affect how we use personal information, we will take appropriate steps to inform affected individuals where required.
20. Contact Us
For questions about this Privacy Policy or requests relating to your personal information, please contact:
Sambridge Health Foods Ltd
Trading as The Crystal Way
82 High Street
Braintree
Essex
CM7 1JP
United Kingdom
Email: richard@thecrystalway.co.uk
Website: https://thecrystalway.co.uk