Privacy Policy

Who we are

Southern Smoke Cigars is an independent online tobacconist operating in the United Kingdom. For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, we are the data controller responsible for your personal information. If you have any questions regarding your data, contact us at info@southernsmokecigars.com.

What information we collect

When you browse our shop, place an order, or contact us, we collect only the information necessary to fulfill our service and meet our legal obligations:

• Contact details: Your name, email address, telephone number, and postal delivery address.
• Order information: Products purchased, order value, payment method selected, and transaction identifiers.
• Age verification records: Confirmation of age (18+) as mandated by the Children and Families Act 2014.
• Communication records: Messages submitted via our contact form or customer service live chat.

Lawful basis for processing

We process your personal information under two specific legal grounds:

• Contractual necessity: To process your basket, dispatch parcels, provide tracking updates, and communicate regarding order status.
• Legal obligation: To comply with UK tobacco retailing laws requiring age verification for sales of tobacco products to individuals aged 18 and over, and to maintain statutory accounting records under HMRC guidelines.

Who we share your information with

We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data strictly with trusted service providers who assist in operating our shop:

• Delivery couriers: Royal Mail receives your name, delivery address, and contact details to fulfill tracked doorstep delivery and verify recipient age.
• Transactional email: Resend delivers automated order receipts, tracking notifications, and customer enquiry responses.
• Customer service: Zoho SalesIQ facilitates real-time customer support chat.

Data retention

We retain transaction and invoice data for 6 years in compliance with UK tax law (HMRC). Customer enquiry records are deleted after 12 months. You may request the deletion of your personal details at any time where statutory retention is not required.

Your statutory rights

Under the UK GDPR, you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, request corrections, request erasure, or object to processing. To exercise any of these rights, email us at info@southernsmokecigars.com. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.