Privacy policy

Sideways Wine Collective (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you browse or purchase from www.sidewayswine.co.za.

1. Information We Collect

We collect and process personal information for the purpose of fulfilling orders, communicating with customers, and improving our services.

We may collect:

  • Name and surname
  • Contact details (email, phone number)
  • Delivery address
  • Billing address
  • Order and purchase details
  • Payment confirmation details (we do NOT store full card data)
  • Website usage data (cookies and analytics)

How information is collected:

  • Directly from you when placing an order
  • When signing up for newsletters
  • When contacting us
  • Automatically when browsing our website using cookies

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used only for legitimate business purposes, including:

  • Processing and fulfilling your wine orders
  • Delivering products to your chosen address
  • Communicating updates regarding purchases, deliveries or enquiries
  • Verifying identity for age-restricted sales (18+)
  • Preventing fraud and ensuring secure payments
  • Record keeping and administration
  • Complying with legal obligations
  • Improving our website and customer experience

Information will not be used for unrelated purposes without your consent.

3. Sharing of Information

We may share your personal information with trusted third parties who assist in delivering our services:

These include:

  • Courier partners
  • Payment processors (PayFast, PayStack)
  • Supplier wineries involved in fulfilling your order
  • IT and website support providers

Each third party is required by POPIA to protect your information and use it only for agreed-upon purposes.

We may also share information:

  • When required by law
  • To protect our rights or prevent fraud
  • When necessary for legal proceedings

We do not sell, rent, or distribute your information to any unauthorised third party.

4. Information Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your personal information.

Our security controls include:

  • Encrypted website communication (SSL)
  • Secure payment gateways
  • Restricted staff access
  • Firewalls and password protection
  • Regular security monitoring
  • Safe retention and destruction practices

All third-party service providers handling your information must comply with POPIA’s security requirements.

5. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

Access your personal information

Request a copy of the information we hold.

Correct or update your information

If any details are inaccurate, you may request correction.

Request deletion

Where legally appropriate, you may request that information be removed.

Withdraw consent

You can unsubscribe from marketing communication at any time.

Object to processing

In certain circumstances, you may object to how your information is used.

We may require proof of identity (such as an ID copy) before acting on any request.

6. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies and analytics tools to enhance performance and user experience.
Cookies may collect general browsing information such as:

  • Pages visited
  • Time spent on the website
  • Device/browser type
  • Location (general, not exact)

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, though this may affect site functionality.

7. Retention of Information

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to:

  • Fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy
  • Meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements
  • Support customer service and warranty obligations

After the retention period, information is securely deleted or anonymised.

8. International Transfers

Your information is stored primarily in South Africa.
However, some third-party service providers (e.g., cloud hosting, payment tools) may store data outside South Africa.
In such cases, POPIA-compliant safeguards are maintained to protect your information.

9. Age Restriction

We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18.
By purchasing from our website, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time. The latest version will always be published on our website.
Continued use of our website indicates acceptance of any changes.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your POPIA rights, please contact us:

Sideways Wine Collective
Stellenbosch, South Africa
admin@sidewayswine.co.za