Privacy policy

Privacy Policy – Smaak Holdings CC
Last updated: 17 March 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Smaak Projects ("we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.smaakprojects.co.za and make purchases through our online store.

This policy is drafted in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") of South Africa, as well as applicable consumer protection legislation. By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Who We Are

Smaak Projects is a South African e-commerce business operating at www.smaakprojects.co.za. For any privacy-related queries, you may contact us at:

3. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when using our services, as well as data collected automatically.

Information You Provide:

  • Full name and contact details (email address, phone number, physical and delivery address)
  • Account credentials (username and password) if you create an account
  • Payment information (credit/debit card details, processed securely through our payment gateway)
  • Order history and purchase details
  • Communications you send us, including support requests, reviews, and enquiries
  • Any other information you choose to provide

Information Collected Automatically:

  • IP address and approximate geographic location
  • Browser type, device type, and operating system
  • Pages visited, time spent on site, and referring URLs
  • Cookie data and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8)
  • Purchase behaviour and product interaction data

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

  • To process and fulfil your orders, including payment processing and delivery coordination
  • To create and manage your customer account
  • To send order confirmations, shipping updates, and receipts
  • To respond to your customer service requests and queries
  • To send you promotional emails and newsletters (only with your consent, and you may unsubscribe at any time)
  • To improve our website, product offerings, and overall customer experience
  • To comply with our legal obligations under South African law
  • To detect, prevent, and address fraud, security breaches, and technical issues
  • To conduct internal analysis, auditing, and research

5. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA)

Under POPIA, we process your personal information on the following grounds:

  • Contractual necessity — to fulfil your orders and provide our services
  • Legal obligation — to comply with applicable South African legislation
  • Legitimate interest — to improve our services, prevent fraud, and ensure site security
  • Consent — for marketing communications and non-essential cookies

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service Providers: We share information with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business (e.g., payment processors, courier and logistics providers, email service providers). These parties are contractually bound to keep your information confidential and secure.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information where required by law, regulation, or court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Smaak Projects, our customers, or others.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred. We will notify you before your data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
  • With Your Consent: We may share your information with other parties with your explicit consent.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. In general:

  • Order and transaction records: retained for a minimum of 5 years in accordance with South African tax and accounting law
  • Account information: retained for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services
  • Marketing preferences: retained until you withdraw consent or request deletion
    After the applicable retention period, we will securely delete or anonymise your personal information.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. We use:

  • Essential cookies: necessary for the website to function correctly (e.g., shopping cart, login sessions)
  • Analytical cookies: to understand how visitors interact with our site (e.g., Google Analytics)
  • Marketing cookies: to deliver personalised advertisements relevant to your interests

You can control or disable non-essential cookies through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.

9. Security of Your Information

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, secure payment processing, and access controls on our systems.

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to take steps to protect your account, including using a strong and unique password.

10. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

  • Right to Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Right to Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Right to Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal obligations.
  • Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your information, including for direct marketing.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights under POPIA have been violated.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@smaakprojects.co.za. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

11. Information Regulator Contact

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Information Regulator of South Africa:

12. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete such information.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We have no control over the content, privacy policies, or practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies independently. This Privacy Policy applies solely to information collected by Smaak Projects.

14. Cross-Border Transfers

Some of our service providers may be located outside South Africa. Where we transfer personal information to a recipient in a foreign country, we will ensure that adequate protections are in place as required by Section 72 of POPIA, including binding contractual obligations that ensure an equivalent level of protection to that provided under South African law.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website following any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please contact us:
•    Email: privacy@smaakprojects.co.za
•    Website: www.smaakprojects.co.za
•    Location: Western Cape, South Africa

Thank you for trusting Smaak Projects with your information.