🔒 Your data, your rights

Privacy Policy

We believe privacy is a fundamental right. Here's exactly how Food Loop handles your information.

📅 Last updated: May 9, 2026

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Data We Collect

When you use Food Loop, we collect the following categories of information:

  • Account Info: Name, email, phone number, and profile picture when you register.
  • Location Data: General or precise location to show nearby food listings.
  • Transaction Data: Purchase history, payment details (processed via SeerBit), order records.
  • Usage Data: App interactions, pages visited, search queries, and feature usage.
  • Device Information: Device type, OS, and push notification tokens.
  • Communications: Messages with sellers or our support team.

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How We Use Your Information

Your data helps us deliver and improve the Food Loop experience:

  • Process orders and facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers.
  • Personalise your feed with relevant food listings near you.
  • Send transactional notifications (order confirmations, delivery updates).
  • Detect fraud, abuse, and ensure platform safety.
  • Improve app performance and develop new features based on usage patterns.
  • Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

🚫 We do not sell your personal data to third-party advertisers.

🤝
Information Sharing

We share information only in these limited circumstances:

  • With Sellers: Your name and delivery details are shared to fulfil your order.
  • Payment Processors: SeerBit processes payments securely — your card details never touch our servers.
  • Firebase (Google): We use Firebase for authentication, database, and cloud storage.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose data to comply with a court order or applicable law.
  • Business Transfers: In a merger or acquisition, data may transfer under the same privacy commitments.

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Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored on Google Cloud (Firebase) servers. We implement industry-standard security:

  • TLS/SSL encryption for all data in transit.
  • Firebase Security Rules to restrict unauthorized database access.
  • Role-based access control — only authorised admins access backend systems.
  • Regular security audits and dependency updates.

We retain data for as long as your account is active. You may request deletion at any time.

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Your Rights

  • Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
  • Correction: Update inaccurate info from your profile settings.
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
  • Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
  • Restriction: Ask us to stop processing your data in certain circumstances.
  • Objection: Opt out of marketing communications at any time.

To exercise any right, email us at 2023bit073@must.ac.ug

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Cookies & Tracking

The Food Loop mobile app does not use browser cookies. Our web admin portal uses minimal essential cookies to maintain your session. We do not use third-party tracking or advertising cookies.

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Children's Privacy

Food Loop is not directed at individuals under 13 years old. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If we become aware that a child has registered without parental consent, we will delete their data promptly.

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Changes to This Policy

When we make significant changes we will post the updated policy here, update the date above, and notify you via email or in-app notification. Continued use constitutes acceptance of updates.

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Contact Us

  • Email: 2023bit073@must.ac.ug
  • Institution: Mbarara University of Science and Technology
  • Platform: Food Loop — Food Waste Reduction App