Privacy Policy — Natural Food Store

Effective date: 1/1/26
Last updated: 9/1/26

1. Who we are and what this policy covers
Natural Food Store LLC, doing business as Natural Food Store (“Natural Food Store,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), operates a natural food and supplement store in Niantic, Connecticut.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit our website, use our customer portal, establish a customer account, place orders, enroll in memberships or recurring product services, communicate with us, or use related store services.
Contact us about privacy, account preferences, or your personal information:

Email: charles@naturalfs.com
Telephone: 860-739-9916
Mail: 21 Hope St. Niantic, CT 06357
Website: www.naturalfs.com

2. Information we collect

We collect information you provide directly, information generated when you use our services, and information received from service providers supporting those services.

Depending on your interactions with us, this may include:
 

• Account and contact information: your name, email address, telephone number, billing or shipping address, account identifier, and login-related information.

• Orders and service information: products ordered or purchased, special orders, quantities, pickup or shipping selections, recurring refill schedules, membership status, and transaction history.

• Payment-related records: Stripe customer and payment-method identifiers, payment authorizations, transaction amounts, payment status, refunds, and limited payment-method details, such as card brand and last four digits, if supplied by Stripe.

• Preferences and consent records: communication selections, newsletter and promotional opt-ins, recurring-payment authorizations, electronic signatures, dates and times of consent, and records of changes or withdrawals.

• Communications: messages, requests, and other information you provide when contacting us.

• Website and security information: IP address, browser and device information, login activity, error logs, and information collected through cookies or similar technologies described below.
   

Please do not send us medical records, diagnoses, prescription information, or other sensitive health information through order notes, messages, or account fields unless we specifically request it through an appropriate consent process.

3. How we use information

We use personal information to:
 

• Create, authenticate, and maintain customer accounts.

• Connect your website account with our in-store customer management system.

• Synchronize account details, orders, membership information, and preferences.

• Process special orders, purchases, pickups, deliveries, shipments, and returns.

• Administer authorized payment methods, automatic payments, memberships, and recurring refill services.

• Send order, payment, account, and service communications consistent with your selections and applicable law.

• Send newsletters or promotional communications when you have opted in.

• Record and honor your authorizations, preferences, and withdrawal requests.

• Respond to customer-service and privacy requests.

• Maintain website functionality, troubleshoot errors, protect accounts, and prevent fraud or misuse.

• Maintain necessary business records and satisfy legal obligations.
   

We do not use your order history to diagnose medical conditions or provide medical advice.

4. Customer portal and account synchronization

When you create or sign in to your customer account, we process the information reasonably necessary to authenticate you, connect your account with our customer management system, display your account information, and carry out your requests. Signing in does not, by itself, enroll you in promotional messages, authorize storage of a payment method for future use, or authorize automatic or recurring charges. Those services require separate selections or authorizations.You can manage available preferences through the customer portal. If a setting does not save, an error occurs, or you cannot access your account, contact us using the information in Section 1. We will provide an alternative way to submit your request. Technical problems do not eliminate your right to withdraw consent or exercise applicable privacy rights.

5. Payments and saved payment methods

We use Stripe to process remote card payments. We do not store full credit or debit card numbers or card security codes in our website or in-store customer management system. Those details are handled by Stripe through its payment services. Our systems may retain Stripe identifiers and limited payment information needed to administer your account and authorized transactions. If you choose to save a payment method, Stripe maintains that method for use in accordance with your authorization. Saving a payment method does not, by itself, authorize every future charge. Payments for special orders, automatic payment upon order arrival, recurring supplement refills, and memberships are governed by the particular payment authorization and service terms you accept. You may request removal of a saved payment method or withdrawal of future-payment authorization through [available portal controls] or by contacting us. Completed transactions and records that must be retained for legal, accounting, fraud-prevention, or dispute-resolution purposes may remain.
Stripe’s handling of personal information is described in Stripe’s own privacy policy, available through https://stripe.com/privacy.

6. Text messages, telephone calls, and email

We maintain separate preferences for service communications and promotional communications.

Service communications may include order confirmations, special-order arrival notices, pickup reminders, shipping updates, payment issues, membership notices, and information about recurring refill services. Promotional communications may include newsletters, sales announcements, offers, and product promotions. Where consent is required, we obtain it before sending the relevant communications. Consent to promotional texts or calls is not a condition of purchasing products or using a pay-on-pickup option.

You may change your preferences through the customer portal or contact us directly.
 

• Text messages: reply STOP to stop texts from the applicable messaging program. You may also contact us to withdraw consent.

• Promotional email: use the unsubscribe link in the message, via the customer portal in our website or contact us.

• Telephone calls: tell us during a call or contact us to change your calling preferences.
   

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. For help, reply HELP, or contact the Natural Food Store. To permanently cease all SMS / txt communication you can reply STOP at any time. We honor other reasonable methods of withdrawing consent where required by law. A withdrawal request may result in a limited confirmation message where permitted. We do not require you to use the portal as the only way to opt out.

Unsubscribing from promotional messages does not cancel an order, membership, or recurring refill service. Cancellation of those services must be requested separately. If you opt out of a communication channel, we may use another legally permitted channel for necessary account or service notices.
We do not sell or disclose mobile numbers, text-message opt-in information, or consent records to third parties for their own marketing.

7. Electronic signatures and authorization records

We may ask you to electronically sign forms recording your account preferences or authorizations.
We retain the signed form and associated records needed to document what you agreed to, when you agreed, and any later changes or withdrawals. An electronic signature applies to the choices and terms identified in that form; it is not blanket permission for unrelated uses of your information.
You may withdraw optional consent or change preferences as described in this policy. Withdrawal does not automatically erase historical authorization records that we need to retain for legitimate business or legal purposes.

8. How we disclose information

We do not sell customer personal information.
We disclose personal information only as needed for the purposes described in this policy, including to:
 

• Payment providers, including Stripe, to process and administer transactions.

• Website hosting, account authentication, and customer management providers to operate our website and synchronize customer accounts.

• Email, text-message, and communication providers to deliver authorized or necessary messages.

• Shipping and fulfillment providers to deliver orders.

• Technology and security providers to maintain, troubleshoot, and protect our systems.

• Professional advisers where necessary for accounting, legal, or related business services.

• Government authorities or other parties when disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to protect legal rights, investigate fraud, or address security incidents.
   

We limit disclosures to information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. Where required, we use contracts restricting service providers’ use of information and requiring appropriate confidentiality and safeguards. We do not authorize service providers to use customer information received on our behalf for their own unrelated marketing.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses cookies or similar technologies needed to support login sessions, account security, preference settings, and essential website functions. You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, our website’s cookie controls. Disabling necessary cookies may prevent some account or website features from working. We do not sell personal information. We also do not use or disclose personal information for cross-context targeted advertising. We honor legally required opt-out preference signals where applicable to our practices.

10. Sensitive information and consumer health data

We do not need medical histories or diagnoses to sell products, fulfill orders, or administer customer accounts.

Certain information may qualify as sensitive personal information or consumer health data depending on its content and how it is used. When applicable law requires consent to collect or process that information, we obtain a separate, specific consent identifying the information, the purposes of processing, and the relevant recipients.

We do not treat acceptance of this Privacy Policy, general website use, or signing in as consent to sensitive-data processing.
We do not sell consumer health data or use it for targeted advertising. You may withdraw consent to optional sensitive-data processing by contacting us.

11. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including maintaining your account, fulfilling orders, documenting authorizations, resolving disputes, preventing fraud, and meeting legal, tax, or accounting requirements.
Retention periods vary by record type and purpose. When information is no longer needed, we delete it or de-identify it, subject to applicable legal requirements and reasonable backup-retention practices.

Closing an account or withdrawing consent does not necessarily require immediate deletion of every transaction or authorization record.

12. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the information we handle. No website, electronic transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Please protect your account credentials and contact us promptly if you believe someone has accessed your account without authorization. Do not submit full card numbers or card security codes through email, or text messages.

13. Privacy requests and your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to:
 

• Confirm whether we process your personal information and access it.

• Correct inaccurate information.

• Request deletion of information.

• Obtain a portable copy of information.

• Withdraw consent to optional processing.

• Opt out of the sale of personal information, targeted advertising, or certain profiling.

• Obtain information about third parties to which personal information has been sold, where applicable.
   

We do not sell customer personal information, but you may still contact us about your rights or our practices.
Submit requests by emailing charles@naturalfs.com, or by calling 860-739-9916. You do not need to rely solely on the customer portal.

We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before providing account information or completing certain requests. Authorized agents may submit requests where permitted by law, subject to appropriate verification. Where the Connecticut Data Privacy Act applies, we respond within 45 days, subject to a permitted additional 45-day extension. If we extend the response period, we explain the extension as required. If we deny a request, you may appeal by contacting charles@naturalfs.com and identifying your original request. Where Connecticut law applies, we respond to an appeal within 60 days. If an appeal is denied, we provide information about how to contact the Connecticut Attorney General. We do not unlawfully discriminate against customers for exercising privacy rights. Certain requested services may not be available if you ask us to delete information necessary to provide them.

14. Children and account eligibility

Our customer portal, memberships, and recurring-payment services are intended for adults age 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information through the website from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided information to us, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, or legal obligations. We post the updated policy with a revised “Last updated” date.
Where required, we notify you of material changes and obtain new consent before using previously collected information for materially different purposes that require consent.

16. Contact us
For privacy questions, preference changes, consent withdrawals, account issues, or privacy-rights requests, contact:

Natural Food Store LLC, doing business as Natural Food Store
21 Hope Street, Niantic CT 06357
charles@naturalfs.com
860-739-9916