Data Protection Policy

Effective date: 17 April 2026  |  Last reviewed: 17 April 2026

Whitehead’s Butchers and The Edgworth Deli has been serving the community of Edgworth for over 140 years. We take the same care with your personal information as we do with our produce — collecting only what we need, keeping it safe, and never sharing it without good reason. This policy explains how we handle personal data in line with UK data protection law.

Who we are

Whitehead’s Butchers and The Edgworth Deli is an award-winning family butcher and delicatessen based in the village of Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashire. We have been trading for over 140 years and are proud to be a trusted part of the local community. For the purposes of UK data protection law, Whitehead’s Butchers is the data controller responsible for the personal information collected through this website and in the course of our business.

Whitehead’s Butchers and The Edgworth Deli

Edgworth, Bolton, Lancashire

Phone: 01204 852268

Website: whiteheadsbutchers.co.uk

Our data protection principles

We process all personal data in accordance with the seven principles of UK GDPR:

01
Lawfulness & fairness
Data is processed on a clear legal basis and never in a deceptive or harmful way.
02
Purpose limitation
Data is collected for specific, stated purposes and not used in incompatible ways.
03
Data minimisation
We only collect what is genuinely needed — nothing more.
04
Accuracy
We take reasonable steps to keep personal data accurate and up to date.
05
Storage limitation
Data is not kept longer than necessary for the purpose it was collected.
06
Security
Appropriate measures protect personal data against unauthorised access or loss.
07
Accountability
We take responsibility for compliance and can demonstrate how we meet these principles.

What data we hold and why

Website enquiries and contact

When you contact us through our website, we collect the information you provide — typically your name, email address, phone number and the nature of your enquiry. This is used solely to respond to you and, where relevant, to take a product or order enquiry further.

Orders and special requests

Where customers place orders in advance — for example, for Christmas meat orders, special cuts or celebration hampers — we collect the name, contact details and order information necessary to fulfil the request. This data is used only to prepare and confirm your order and to contact you about collection or delivery arrangements.

Allergen and dietary information

Food safety

As a butcher and deli, we take food safety and allergen awareness seriously. Where a customer informs us of a food allergy, intolerance or dietary requirement in connection with a product enquiry or order, we treat this as sensitive information and use it solely to ensure the correct products are provided safely.

We strongly encourage customers with food allergies or intolerances to speak to us directly before purchasing, so we can advise on ingredients, preparation methods and potential cross-contamination risks. Our products may contain or come into contact with allergens including gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, celery and sulphites.

Marketing and newsletter communications

Where you have opted in to receive news, promotions or seasonal updates from us, we will use your email address or phone number to send these communications. You can opt out at any time by contacting us directly or using the unsubscribe option in any email we send.

Social media and reviews

We operate social media accounts where customers may interact with us publicly. Any information shared publicly on those platforms is subject to the privacy policies of the relevant platforms. We do not store or process personal data from social media beyond our normal business communications.

Lawful bases for processing

  • Contract performance — to process and fulfil orders and special requests
  • Legitimate interests — to respond to enquiries, manage customer relationships and promote our products
  • Legal obligation — to maintain financial and trading records as required by law
  • Vital interests — where allergen or dietary information is necessary to protect a customer’s health and safety
  • Consent — for marketing communications

How long we keep data

  • Order and customer contact records — up to 2 years
  • Financial and sales records — up to 7 years (HMRC requirement)
  • Marketing preferences — until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
  • General website enquiry data — up to 2 years

All data is securely deleted once it is no longer needed.

Who we share data with

We do not sell personal data. As a small family business, we share data only where strictly necessary:

  • With trusted IT or website service providers who support our online presence, under appropriate agreements
  • With HMRC, where required for financial reporting
  • With authorities or regulators, where required by law — including Environmental Health or Food Standards Agency inspections

We do not transfer personal data outside the UK.

Data security

We take appropriate steps to protect your personal data from loss, misuse or unauthorised access. As a small family business, we keep records securely, limit access to those who need it, and handle all personal information with care. In the unlikely event of a personal data breach that poses a risk to individuals, we will notify the ICO within 72 hours as required by law.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
Right to rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate information
Right to erasure — request deletion in certain circumstances
Right to restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your data
Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interests
Right to withdraw consent — at any time, where consent is our legal basis

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us by phone on 01204 852268 or via our website. We will respond within one calendar month.

ICO registration and complaints

ICO

Whitehead’s Butchers is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as required under UK data protection law.

If you have a concern about how we handle your personal data and we have not been able to resolve it to your satisfaction, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Helpline: 0303 123 1113

Website: ico.org.uk

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page will always show when it was last reviewed.