Privacy Policy – General Nutrition Centres Company ("GNC Canada")
GNC Canada is committed to providing our Customers with exceptional service. In the course of providing this service, it may be necessary to collect personal information. The protection of this personal information is among our highest priorities. We have always respected our Customer’s privacy and safeguarded their personal information, and now we have reinforced our commitment to protecting this information as set out in Canada’s privacy laws. The following Privacy Policy demonstrates our commitment to the protection of personal information and outlines the principals and practices we will follow to achieve that commitment.
GNC Canada is the trade name for the Canadian affiliate of General Nutrition Centers, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. In Canada there are both franchised stores and corporately owned stores. This Privacy Policy applies to all stores in Canada identified by the trade-mark “GNC” and other trade-marks owned by General Nutrition Investment Company of Arizona, including franchised stores.
Background
Federal and provincial laws govern the collection, use, and storage of personal information by Canadian businesses. Personal information is broadly defined as information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title, and business address or business phone number of an employee of an organization. Since it applies to individuals only, it does not apply to corporations or other businesses who may be customers, or suppliers. Federal and provincial laws govern the collection, use, and storage of personal information by Canadian businesses. Personal information is broadly defined as information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title, and business address or business phone number of an employee of an organization. Since it applies to individuals only, it does not apply to corporations or other businesses who may be customers, or suppliers.
Categories of Personal Information We Collect, Use and Retain
The nature of personal information we collect may include:
- E-mail Addresses
- Name, Address & Telephone Number
- The type of products that you buy from us and the amounts paid
Out systems may automatically collect some information when you access our website or online services, including:
- Network or IP address
- Browser type and settings
- Operating system
- Internet service provider name and/or mobile network
- Device identifiers and settings
- Geolocation information
- Social media identifiers
- Advertisements and products displayed, seen, forwarded, and/or clicked
Purposes of Collecting and Using Your Information
GNC Canada may use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To operate our business and to assist customers with their purchases of products
- To respond to your inquiries
- To process a returned product as per Loss Prevention Procedures
- To correspond with Gold Card Members and other loyalty programs
- To identify and communicate with individuals interested in receiving information about our products and services and other marketing purposes
- To prevent fraud or potentially illegal activities on or through our websites
- To perform analysis regarding how you use the websites and other user analytics
- To send official tax receipts, payroll information
- To employ and manage our staff
- To meet legal, security, processing and regulatory requirements regarding our employees and customers
You may refuse or withdraw your consent as explained in this document.
In the operation of its web site Company may use “cookies” (small text files inserted on customers’ computer to identify the computer as the customer views its web site) or other technologies in order to provide the customer with an enhanced e-commerce experience. These technologies may also be used to analyze how you interact with our websites and elsewhere, and more generally, to learn more about you and what online services or offers you might prefer to receive. Certain features of our websites and services may not work without use of passive information collection technologies.
Disclosure of Your Information
GNC Canada does not sell or otherwise disclose your personal information to any other third party organization, except as required or permitted by law or noted below. The collection of information is for internal purposes only. Your personal information may be stored outside of Canada, where it may be subject to privacy laws that differ from Canadian laws. GNC Canada’s American parent company provides a number of services to GNC Canada and GNC Canada transfers personal information to operations in Pittsburgh for processing. GNC Canada continues to be responsible for your personal information. GNC Canada may also use third party service providers to collect, process, handle or store such information, provided that such third party service providers will provide comparable levels of protection to that specified in this Privacy Policy. Before using your personal information for any purpose other than those listed above, GNC Canada will explain that purpose to you and seek your consent.
As one of the purposes for which GNC Canada collects, uses and/or discloses personal information is the operation of its business, in the event that all or part of the assets of GNC Canada are sold to a new owner, all personal information, or that part of the personal information associated with the assets being sold, will be transferred (disclosed) to the new owner. In addition, we may disclose your personal information to government authorities or third-party organizations as permitted or required by law, including when we have a reason to believe that such disclosure is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be causing injury to or interference with our rights and property or those of any other person. We may also disclose your personal information when we believe the law requires it and in any situation that involves threats to any person’s physical safety.
GNC Canada values its relationships with its employees, customers and suppliers, and is committed to the protection of their personal information, and to keeping their personal information accurate, confidential, secure and private. This Privacy Code is an embodiment of this commitment.
Consent
Depending on the nature and sensitivity of your personal information, your consent to the collection, use or disclosure of such information can be express and positive (express and positive consent may be oral, in writing or electronic) or implied (by your conduct, which may include your not exercising an option after reading our notice regarding such collection, use or disclosure – “opting out”) in which case we assume that you consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time.
GNC Canada’s Privacy Promise to our Customers, Suppliers and Staff
- Accountability: We will safeguard any information you share with us according to appropriate standards of security and confidentiality. A Privacy Officer is accountable for GNC Canada’s compliance with the principles of this policy.
- Identifying Purposes: All requests to collect, use and retain, or disclose personal information, such as Gold Card applications, Customer Returns and employee applications, shall identify the purpose(s) for which your personal information is being collected, used or disclosed and this will occur at or before the time that the information is collected.
- Consent: Your knowledge and consent shall be required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information except where specified by law. We will not require you to consent to the collection, use or disclosure of information beyond that required to fulfill the explicitly specified and legitimate purposes, such as preventing fraud. We shall endeavour to choose a form of consent that is appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information being collected and the purposes for which it is being collected, used or disclosed.
- Limiting Collection: GNC Canada’s collection of your personal information shall be limited to what is necessary for the purposes identified by this organization. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means.
- Limiting, Use, Disclosure and Retention: Your personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it is collected, except with consent of the individual or as permitted or required by law. Your personal information shall only be retained for so long as necessary for the fulfilment of those purposes or except where specified by law. Because of its sensitivity, credit card information is held separately from the basic demographic (name, address, telephone number) information about the customer.
- Accuracy: GNC Canada is committed to ensuring that your personal information is accurate, up to date, and secure as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
- Safeguards: Your personal information shall be protected by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
- Openness: GNC Canada shall make readily available to individuals specific information about its policies and practices relating to the management of personal information. Should you have a concern or question, please contact our Privacy Officer as indicated at the end of this Privacy Policy.
- Individual Access: Upon request, an individual shall be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information and shall be given access to that information. An individual shall be able to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
- Challenging Compliance: You shall be able to address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to the Privacy Officer, the designated individual accountable for compliance by GNC Canada.
Changes
From time to time the GNC Canada may make changes to this policy to adapt to changing business conditions and for other reasons. In the event that in the opinion of the GNC Canada acting reasonably such changes will allow GNC Canada to make materially greater use and/or disclosure of any personal information, the individuals affected by the changes will be clearly and concisely notified of the changes and their proposed effect, and provided with an opportunity to withdraw their consent to the collection, use and/or disclosure of their personal information.
Date Adopted: , 2020
Contacting GNC Canada:
Privacy Officer
6299 Airport Rd, Suite 201,
Mississauga, ON
L4V 1N3
905-612-1016
E-mail address: canadian-privacyofficer@gnccanada.com
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