Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions – Privacy Policy – Security Policy
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 16 October 2026
1. Who We Are
This Privacy Policy explains how Specola Ltd collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal information when you visit our website, purchase products, create an account, contact us or use our services.
Specola Ltd
Unit 1 Gatewarth Industrial Estate
Barnard Street
Warrington
WA5 1DD
United Kingdom
Company Registration Number: 08373671
Specola Ltd is the data controller responsible for personal information processed for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
For privacy-related enquiries or requests, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.specola.co.uk/
2. Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with our website and services, we may collect the following categories of personal information.
Contact and account information
Full name
Billing and delivery addresses
Email address
Telephone number
Account username and authentication information
Passwords are stored using security measures designed to protect account credentials.
Order and transaction information
Products purchased and order history
Order references and transaction details
Billing and delivery information
Payment status, payment method and relevant transaction references
Refunds, returns and warranty information
We do not normally receive or store complete payment card numbers or card security codes. Payment information is handled by the relevant payment service provider.
Customer communications
Enquiries and messages
Customer support tickets
Returns and warranty correspondence
Information provided during technical support
Feedback, complaints and other communications
Website and technical information
IP addresses
Browser and device information
Website activity and pages visited
Referral sources
Cookies and similar technologies
Website performance and security information
Some information is collected automatically when you visit or interact with our website.
3. How We Use Your Information
We process personal information for purposes including:
Processing and fulfilling orders
Managing payments, refunds and transactions
Arranging deliveries and providing tracking information
Providing customer service and technical support
Handling warranty claims, returns and complaints
Managing customer accounts
Responding to enquiries
Preventing fraud and unauthorised activity
Maintaining website functionality and security
Improving our website and customer experience
Maintaining appropriate accounting and business records
Complying with legal and regulatory obligations
Sending marketing communications where permitted by law
We do not use personal information for purposes incompatible with those described in this Privacy Policy unless permitted or required by law.
4. Lawful Bases for Processing
Under UK data protection law, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases.
Performance of a contract
Where processing is necessary to process an order, deliver products, provide requested services or fulfil contractual obligations.
Legal obligation
Where processing is necessary to comply with applicable legal, accounting, tax or regulatory requirements.
Legitimate interests
Where processing is necessary for legitimate business interests, including fraud prevention, website security, customer support, business administration and service improvement, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.
Consent
Where consent is required, including certain electronic marketing activities and non-essential cookies or tracking technologies.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing lawfully carried out before consent was withdrawn.
5. Sharing Your Information
We may share personal information with organisations that assist us in operating our business and providing our products and services.
These may include:
Payment processing providers
Delivery and courier companies
Website hosting and IT service providers
WooCommerce and relevant website integration providers
Customer support and communication service providers
Website analytics and advertising service providers, where applicable
Fraud prevention and security service providers
Professional advisers, accountants and auditors
Government authorities and regulatory bodies where required by law
We only disclose personal information where necessary for the relevant purpose and subject to appropriate legal and security requirements.
Some providers act as processors on our behalf, while others may act as independent data controllers under their own privacy policies.
We do not sell customer personal information to third parties.
6. Delivery and Courier Services
To fulfil orders, we share relevant delivery information with the courier or delivery provider responsible for transporting your goods.
This may include your name, delivery address, telephone number, email address and relevant order information.
Depending on the order, our delivery providers may include:
Royal Mail
FedEx
DPD
Other delivery providers where appropriate
We may use shipping management services to prepare labels, arrange deliveries and provide tracking information.
Delivery providers may process personal information in accordance with their own privacy notices and applicable legal obligations.
For further information about delivery arrangements, please see our Delivery Information.
7. Payment Information
Payments made through our website are handled by third-party payment service providers.
Depending on the payment methods enabled at checkout, these may include:
Opayo, for card payment processing
Klarna, for eligible payment and financing options
PayPal, where available
Other supported card or digital wallet payment services, where enabled
Payment providers may process personal information, transaction details, payment identifiers and information required for fraud prevention, identity verification and regulatory compliance.
Some payment methods may involve additional eligibility, affordability or identity checks carried out by the relevant payment provider.
Specola Ltd does not normally store complete payment card details or card security codes on its own systems.
Payment service providers process personal information under their own applicable privacy policies.
For further details about available payment methods, please see our Terms & Conditions.
8. Marketing Communications
We may send information about products, services, promotions or business updates where permitted by applicable law.
Where required, we will obtain appropriate consent before sending electronic marketing communications.
In circumstances permitted by UK electronic marketing rules, we may contact existing customers about similar products or services, provided the applicable conditions are met and an appropriate opportunity to opt out is offered.
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by using an unsubscribe link, where provided, or by contacting us at [email protected].
Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending essential communications relating to orders, deliveries, payments, warranty claims, customer support or important account matters.
9. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies for purposes including:
Maintaining essential website functionality
Managing shopping baskets and checkout sessions
Remembering relevant website preferences
Supporting website security
Understanding website performance and usage
Supporting analytics or advertising services, where enabled
Some cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of our website.
Other cookies and tracking technologies, including certain analytics and advertising technologies, may require consent under applicable UK privacy and electronic communications law.
Where consent is required, these technologies should not be activated until the appropriate consent has been obtained.
You may manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, through our website’s cookie preference controls.
Disabling strictly necessary cookies may affect the operation of certain website features, including shopping baskets and checkout.
10. Analytics, Google Services and Website Performance
We may use website analytics, search performance, product listing and related services to understand website activity and improve our online shop.
Depending on the services enabled, these may include Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Google Merchant Center and other Google services.
These services may process information such as device information, IP addresses, website interactions, referral information and product-related activity.
Where applicable, analytics and advertising technologies will be subject to the relevant consent requirements.
Google and other service providers may process information under their own privacy policies.
For further information about Google’s handling of personal information, please visit:
https://policies.google.com/privacy
11. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
Retention periods depend on the category of information, the reason it is processed and any applicable legal requirements.
For example:
Order and accounting records
These may be retained for the periods required by applicable tax, accounting and financial record-keeping obligations.
Customer account information
This may be retained while an account remains active and for an appropriate period afterwards where necessary for legal, contractual, security or business purposes.
Customer support, returns and warranty records
These may be retained for the period reasonably necessary to manage enquiries, fulfil warranty obligations, resolve disputes and establish or defend legal claims.
Marketing information
This may be retained while there is a valid lawful basis for marketing, subject to withdrawal of consent, opt-out requests and appropriate retention reviews.
Website and security records
These may be retained for periods appropriate to website administration, fraud prevention, security monitoring and legal obligations.
When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, anonymise or securely dispose of it.
12. How We Protect Your Information
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration and disclosure.
These may include:
Secure website connections
Access controls and account authentication
Security monitoring and protective measures
Restricted access to customer information
Website maintenance and security updates
Appropriate backup and recovery procedures
Although we take reasonable precautions, no internet-based system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
13. International Data Transfers
Some of our service providers may process or store personal information outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will comply with applicable UK data protection requirements.
Where required, this may involve reliance on UK adequacy regulations or appropriate safeguards, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to standard contractual clauses or another lawful transfer mechanism.
We will take appropriate steps to ensure that personal information receives the protection required by applicable law.
14. Your Data Protection Rights
Subject to applicable legal conditions and exemptions, you may have the following rights:
Right of access: To request a copy of personal information we hold about you.
Right to rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to erasure: To request deletion of personal information in certain circumstances.
Right to restriction: To request that processing be restricted in certain circumstances.
Right to object: To object to certain processing, including direct marketing.
Right to data portability: To receive certain personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, where applicable.
Right to withdraw consent: To withdraw consent where processing relies on it.
Rights relating to automated decision-making: To exercise applicable rights concerning decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
These rights are not absolute, and certain information may need to be retained to comply with legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
To make a request, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.
We will respond within the period required by applicable data protection law, normally within one calendar month, subject to permitted extensions.
15. Complaints
If you have concerns about how we collect, use or protect your personal information, please contact us so that we can investigate your concerns.
Email: [email protected]
You also have the right to complain to the UK’s data protection regulator:
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk/
You do not have to contact us before raising a complaint with the ICO.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our website, business operations, services, technology or applicable legal requirements.
Any updated version will be published on this page with a revised last-updated date.
We encourage visitors and customers to review this Privacy Policy periodically.