Privacy policy

Last updated: February 2026

Japan Food Express is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, used, stored, and protected by the relevant contracting entity within the Japan Food Express group when you:

  • Visit our website

  • Contact us

  • Request quotations

  • Place orders

  • Engage in business communications

1. Who We Are (Data Controllers)

Depending on the relevant transaction or communication, the data controller is:

  • Japan Food Express Ltd, registered in England and Wales; or

  • Japan Food Express GmbH, registered in Germany.

The applicable contracting entity will be identified in the relevant quotation, invoice, email communication, or agreement.

For data protection purposes, the identified contracting entity acts as the data controller.

Contact:
info@japanfoodexpress.co.uk

2. Applicable Data Protection Laws

Where processing is carried out by:

  • Japan Food Express Ltd → UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 apply.

  • Japan Food Express GmbH → EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) applies.

3. What Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process:

  • Name

  • Job title

  • Company name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Billing and delivery address

  • VAT number (where applicable)

  • Order and transaction details

  • Communications you send to us

We do not intentionally collect special category (sensitive) personal data.

4. How We Collect Data

We collect data when:

  • You submit a contact form

  • You email us

  • You request a quotation

  • You place an order

  • You interact with our website

We do not use Google Analytics or behavioural tracking tools.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal data under the following lawful bases:

  • Contractual necessity – to fulfil orders or supply goods

  • Legitimate interests – to respond to enquiries and manage business relationships

  • Legal obligations – tax, accounting, regulatory compliance

Where consent is required, it will be obtained separately.

6. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data to:

  • Provide quotations and process orders

  • Manage customer and supplier relationships

  • Arrange delivery and logistics

  • Issue invoices

  • Comply with legal obligations

  • Maintain internal records

We do not sell personal data.

We do not conduct automated decision-making or profiling.

7. Data Sharing

We may share data with:

  • Logistics and delivery providers

  • Payment processors (where applicable)

  • Professional advisers (accountants, auditors, legal advisers)

  • Hosting provider (Squarespace)

  • IT and system service providers

All third parties are required to process data lawfully and securely.

8. International Data Transfers

Personal data may be transferred between the UK and Germany within the Japan Food Express group where operationally necessary.

Where data is transferred outside the UK or EU, appropriate safeguards are applied in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

9. Data Retention

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil contractual, legal, and operational obligations.

Financial and transactional records are retained in accordance with applicable tax laws.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Your Rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal data

  • Rectify inaccurate data

  • Request erasure

  • Restrict processing

  • Object to processing

  • Data portability (where applicable)

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority:

  • For UK processing: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – https://www.ico.org.uk

  • For Germany processing: The competent German Data Protection Authority (Landesdatenschutzbehörde)

11. Cookies

Our website uses essential cookies required for website functionality.

We do not use marketing or analytics tracking cookies.

If non-essential cookies are introduced in future, a compliant consent mechanism will be implemented.

12. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures proportionate to the nature and risk of our processing activities.

For further details, please refer to our Security Policy.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

The latest version will always be published on our website and will apply to data processed after the date of publication.