This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes the policies and procedures of the Tea Board of India, a body corporate constituted under the Tea Act, 1953, having its head office at 14, B.T.M. Sarani, Kolkata-700 001 ("the Board" or "the Platform Operator"), on the collection, use, storage, processing, and disclosure of the user's information in connection with the use of the Tea Marketplace e-commerce platform.
This Policy is an electronic record under the Information Technology Act, 2000. By accessing or using the Platform, the User signifies that they have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Policy.
1. Definitions
- Personal Information — any information relating to a natural person that, directly or indirectly, is capable of identifying such person, including name, address, telephone number, email address, and financial information.
- Sensitive Personal Data or Information (SPDI) — information relating to passwords; financial information such as bank account or credit/debit card details; and any other information identified as sensitive under the IT Rules, 2011.
- User — any natural or legal person who accesses, uses, or registers on the Platform, including buyers, sellers, and casual visitors.
2. Information Collected
Information you provide:
- Registration & Profile: Name, email, mobile number, delivery address, password. Sellers additionally provide GSTIN, PAN, bank account details, and relevant licences including the Tea Mark licence.
- Transaction Information: Products purchased/sold, order details, shipping information, and payment details. Full credit/debit card data is not stored — it is handled securely by third-party payment gateway partners.
- Communications: Information exchanged through the Platform for customer support, inquiries, or feedback.
Information collected automatically:
- Log & Usage Data: IP address, browser type, OS, referring URLs, pages viewed, and timestamps.
- Device Information: Hardware model, device identifiers, and mobile network information.
- Cookies & Tracking: Cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to personalise experience and analyse traffic. You can control cookies at the browser level.
3. How We Use Your Information
- To Provide & Manage Services: Account creation, transaction processing, order management, shipping, and customer support.
- To Improve & Personalise: Understanding user behaviour, developing new features, and personalising content.
- For Communication: Transactional notifications, service announcements, and promotional materials (opt-out available at any time).
- For Safety, Security & Compliance: Identity verification, fraud prevention, enforcement of Terms of Service, and compliance with applicable laws including responding to government and law enforcement requests.
- For Verification & Quality Assurance: Verifying authenticity of sellers and the Tea Mark certification of listed products.
4. Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell or rent your Personal Information to third parties. We may share information in the following circumstances:
- With Sellers and Buyers: Necessary transaction information (e.g., buyer's shipping address shared with seller for order fulfilment).
- With Service Providers: Third-party vendors for payment processing, logistics, data analysis, and marketing — contractually bound to protect your information.
- For Legal Reasons: When required by law, court order, or government request; to enforce our Terms; or to protect rights, property, or safety.
5. Data Retention
We retain your Personal Information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to provide services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. After such time, your information will be deleted or anonymised.
6. Your Rights and Choices
- Access and Update: You may access and update your account information at any time through your profile settings.
- Withdrawal of Consent: You may withdraw consent for processing at any time by contacting the Grievance Officer. This may affect your ability to use certain features.
- Opt-Out of Marketing: You may opt-out of promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link or changing notification settings in your account.
7. Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. We use industry-standard SSL encryption for data transmissions. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cookies are small files placed on your device that enable us to recognise your browser and capture certain information. We use cookies to understand and save your preferences, track interactions, and compile aggregate data about site traffic to improve the Platform.
9. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18 and does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 18. If we become aware that such information has been collected, we will take necessary steps to delete it.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. It is your responsibility to review this Policy periodically. Continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.
11. Grievance Officer
Name: C Bharathi Raja
Designation: Factory Advisory Officer, Tea Board India
Address: 14, B.T.M. Sarani (Brabourne Road), Kolkata - 700 001
Phone: +91 89031 72141
Email: secretary-wb.tbi@gov.in
The Grievance Officer shall acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours and dispose of such complaint within 15 days from the date of receipt.
12. Governing Law
This Policy shall be governed by the laws of India. Any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
13. Contact Us
Tea Board India, 14, B.T.M. Sarani (Brabourne Road), Kolkata - 700 001 | Email: secretary-wb.tbi@gov.in | Phone: 9830919686