Privacy Policy

Helix Biotech Ltd ("Helix Biotech", "we", "us", "our") is a company registered in England and Wales. We operate the website helixbiotech.co.uk and supply research-grade compounds to qualified researchers.

For data protection purposes, Helix Biotech Ltd is the data controller. We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

If you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, please contact us at [email protected].

We collect and process the following categories of personal data:

Contact and account information: Name, email address, telephone number, and billing/delivery address when you place an order or make an enquiry.

Order and transaction data: Details of products purchased, order history, payment confirmation references, and dispatch information.

Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone, operating system, and other technology identifiers collected automatically when you visit our website.

Usage data: Information about how you use our website, including pages visited, time spent, and referring URLs, collected via Google Analytics 4 (where you have consented).

Communications: Records of correspondence if you contact us by email, telephone, or through our contact form or live chat widget.

Age verification data: A record that you confirmed you are aged 18 or over via our age gate. We do not store your date of birth.

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

To fulfil your order: Processing payments, dispatching products, and providing order updates. Legal basis: performance of a contract.

To communicate with you: Responding to enquiries, providing customer support, and sending order confirmations. Legal basis: performance of a contract / legitimate interests.

To comply with legal obligations: Maintaining records for tax, regulatory, and compliance purposes. Legal basis: legal obligation.

To improve our website: Analysing usage patterns to enhance functionality and user experience. Legal basis: legitimate interests (or consent where analytical cookies are used).

To send marketing communications: Only where you have opted in to receive such communications. Legal basis: consent. You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email.

Age verification: To ensure our website is only accessed by persons aged 18 or over, as required by the nature of our products. Legal basis: legitimate interests / legal obligation.

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with:

Payment processors: Stripe, Inc. processes card payments on our behalf. Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant and acts as a data processor under our instruction. Stripe may transfer data to the United States; such transfers are governed by Standard Contractual Clauses approved under UK GDPR.

Delivery and logistics providers: To fulfil and track your order within the United Kingdom.

Analytics providers: Google LLC (Google Analytics 4), where you have consented to analytical cookies. Google may process data in the United States under Standard Contractual Clauses.

Live chat and messaging: GoDaddy, Inc. (Airo Inbox) provides our live chat widget. Data entered into the chat may be processed in the United States under Standard Contractual Clauses.

IT and hosting providers: Who provide infrastructure and technical services for our website and systems.

Professional advisers: Including lawyers, accountants, and auditors where necessary.

Regulatory authorities: Where required by law or to protect our legal rights.

All third parties are required to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with applicable data protection law.

Some of our third-party service providers are based outside the United Kingdom. Where we transfer personal data to countries that do not provide an equivalent level of data protection to the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

If you would like further information about the specific safeguards in place for any particular transfer, please contact us at [email protected].

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

Order and transaction records are retained for a minimum of 6 years in accordance with HMRC requirements. Marketing consent records are retained until you withdraw consent. Technical and usage data collected via Google Analytics is retained for 26 months. Live chat records are retained for 12 months. Age verification records (confirmation only, not date of birth) are retained for the duration of your browser session via localStorage and are not stored on our servers.

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the following rights:

Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you (Subject Access Request).

Right to rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

Right to erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances ("right to be forgotten").

Right to restrict processing: You may request that we limit how we use your data.

Right to data portability: You may request a machine-readable copy of data you have provided to us.

Right to object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent (e.g. marketing emails, analytical cookies), you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

Rights related to automated decision-making: We do not make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within one calendar month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. We use:

Strictly necessary cookies: Required for the website to function (e.g. your shopping cart, age gate confirmation). These cannot be disabled.

Analytical cookies: Google Analytics 4 cookies that help us understand how visitors interact with our website. These are only set with your explicit consent via our cookie consent banner.

Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices. These are only set with your consent.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time via the cookie consent banner displayed on your first visit, or by clearing your browser's cookies and revisiting the site. Withdrawing consent for analytical cookies will not affect your ability to use the website.

For a full list of cookies we use, please contact us at [email protected].

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the ICO within 72 hours and, where required, notify you directly.

Our website and products are not directed at persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. Our age gate requires visitors to confirm they are 18 or over before accessing the site. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a person under 18, please contact us immediately at [email protected] and we will delete it promptly.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Where changes are material, we will provide a more prominent notice (for example, by email or a banner on our website). We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: [email protected] **Company:** Helix Biotech Ltd, Registered in England & Wales

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.