Privacy Policy

Overview

Welcome, and thank you for joining the SOTEA family. We place great importance on protecting your personal privacy and provide this Privacy Policy to explain how we handle your personal information.

This Privacy Policy describes how SOTEA AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd and its affiliated companies (collectively referred to as "SOTEA", "we", "our", or "us") collect, use, store, and disclose personal information through our mobile application (the "SOTEA App") and the SOTEA membership membership programme.

Please read this policy carefully before using the SOTEA App. By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the practices described in this policy.

This policy is designed to comply with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. What Personal Information We Collect

1.1 Registration Information

When you register as a SOTEA membership, we collect:

•Your full name

•Gender

•Email address

•Phone number

•Date of birth or birthday month

This information is necessary to create and manage your membership account, enabling you to access SOTEA benefits and services.

1.2 Transaction Information

When you place orders through the SOTEA App or at any SOTEA store, we record:

•Order details (items purchased, customisations, quantity)

•Date, time, and store location of purchase

•Payment method (we do not store full credit card details)

•Loyalty points earned and redeemed

•Vouchers and rewards used

This information enables us to manage your membership points, deliver tier benefits, and provide personalised services.

1.3 Device and Usage Information

When you use the SOTEA App, we may automatically collect:

•Device type, operating system, and app version

•IP address and approximate location (only when location services are enabled)

•App usage data (pages visited, features used, session duration)

This information helps us improve the app's performance and user experience.

1.4 Voluntary Information

We may also collect any additional information you voluntarily provide, including feedback, survey responses, customer service enquiries, or content shared during promotional activities.

2. How We Use Your Personal Information

2.1 Membership Services

We use your information to administer the SOTEA membership programme, including:

•Calculating and updating your loyalty points

•Determining and updating your membership tier (Sipper, Steeper, or Brewer)

•Issuing vouchers, rewards, and birthday gifts

•Delivering tier-specific benefits

2.2 Order Processing and Service Delivery

We use your information to process your orders, deliver items, manage in-store pickup, and provide customer support.

2.3 Personalised Recommendations

By analysing your purchase history and preferences, we may recommend drinks, suggest seasonal items, or notify you about offers relevant to your tastes.

2.4 Marketing Communications

With your consent, we may send you:

•Updates about new products and seasonal launches

•Promotional campaigns and member-exclusive offers

•News about SOTEA events and activities

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time through the SOTEA App settings or by following the unsubscribe instructions in any marketing message. Opting out will not affect your ability to access SOTEA membership benefits.

2.5 Legal and Compliance

We may disclose your information when required:

•To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or lawful requests from government authorities

•To protect the rights, property, or safety of SOTEA, our customers, employees, or third parties

•To prevent or address fraud, security incidents, or technical issues

We will limit any such disclosure to what is necessary and will comply with all applicable legal requirements.

3. How We Share Your Personal Information

We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:

3.1 Affiliated Companies

We may share information with our affiliated companies for the purposes described in this policy. Affiliated companies are required to handle your information in accordance with this policy.

3.2 Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers to operate our business, including:

•Payment processors (to handle transactions securely)

•POS and CRM system providers (Restosuite or successor systems)

•Cloud hosting and data storage providers

•Logistics partners (for delivery services, if applicable)

•Marketing and analytics platforms

These providers may only use your information to perform services for SOTEA and are bound by confidentiality obligations.

3.3 Business Transfers

If SOTEA undergoes a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such transfer and any changes to how your information is handled.

3.4 Third-Party Links

The SOTEA App may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Any information you provide to them is governed by their own privacy policies.

4. How We Store and Protect Your Information

4.1 Storage Location

Your personal information may be stored on servers located in Australia or in other countries, including but not limited to Singapore, where our service providers operate secure data centres. Regardless of storage location, we ensure that all data handling complies with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and provides protection equivalent to or stronger than Australian standards.

4.2 Security Measures

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

•Encrypted data transmission (SSL/TLS)

•Restricted access controls

•Regular security audits and updates

•Staff training on data privacy

4.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme. Notifications will include the nature of the breach, potential impacts, steps taken, and recommended actions.

4.4 Retention Period

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

•Fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy

•Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations

•Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

When information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

5. Your Rights and Choices

Under Australian privacy law, you have the following rights:

5.1 Right to Know

You have the right to know what personal information we have collected about you.

5.2 Right to Access

You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you at any time.

5.3 Right to Correct

If your information is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that we correct or update it.

5.4 Right to Delete

You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions. Note that deletion may affect your ability to use SOTEA membership services.

5.5 Right to Withdraw Consent

You may withdraw your consent to our collection or use of your information at any time. Withdrawal of consent may limit your access to membership benefits.

5.6 Right to Opt Out of Marketing

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time without affecting your access to core services.

5.7 Right to Lodge a Complaint

If you believe we have not handled your personal information appropriately, you may lodge a complaint with us using the contact details below. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the email address provided in Section 7.

6. Children's Privacy

The SOTEA App and SOTEA membership programme are not intended for children under the age of 14. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 14. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

7. 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. The updated policy will be posted on the SOTEA App with a new effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

For material changes that significantly affect how we use your information, we will provide additional notice through the app or via email.

Continued use of the SOTEA App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.