Privacy Policy
Bel Cheese Canada Inc.

 

Last updated: May 2007

Bel Cheese Canada Inc. (“Bel”) respects the privacy of your personal information and is committed to protecting it and using it solely for the purpose for which it was collected. The objective of this Privacy Policy is to inform you on our privacy practices, on why and how we collect this information, and on how it is kept and used.

Scope and application

The policy applies to all personal information collected from the www.minibabybel.ca website and other Bel websites as well as information collected during Bel’s promotional activities in Canada. The policy is subjected to Canadian legislation on this matter, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, as well as other legislation and applicable rules.

Your personal information: what we collect and why we collect it

We collect certain types of personal information concerning individuals who visit our website or participate in our promotional activities, in particular when they enter a contest, subscribe to an electronic newsletter or request information. In most cases, we request the following personal information: name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, age and, occasionally, information on preferences and consumption patterns.

This information is used to organize contests and promotional activities, contact contest winners, send newsletters or answer questions. This information may also be used to improve the content of our website, for marketing analysis purposes, to develop, improve or market products, or to provide you with information that we feel may be of interest to you.

Please note as well that our contests always abide by specific rules. These are described in greater detail in the contest rules and regulations available on our website or through other means.

Electronic information

We may sometimes collect information that is not of a personal nature, such as the type of Internet browser or operating system you use or the domain name from which you were linked to our site. Furthermore, when you visit our website, we can insert a data file on your computer, such as a cookie or other file of similar nature. Cookies allow us to keep certain types of information about the use you make of our website, including the date of your most recent visit, the pages you consulted and the files you downloaded. Cookies allow us to adapt our website and promotions to meet your interests and preferences.

Bel does not link the information thus obtained to your personal information.

Most Internet browsers allow you to erase these cookies from your computer’s hard drive, to block them or to receive a warning before they are downloaded. Please refer to your browser’s instructions to find out more about these functions. If you refuse the cookies, you will still have access to the website but your navigation may be affected and you may not be able to benefit from certain services that you will have been required to subscribe to.

How your personal information is used, kept and communicated

The personal information we collect is used solely for the purpose for which it was collected. Your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of information for secondary marketing purposes (e.g., mailing or e-mailing of promotional offers, and subscriptions to electronic newsletters) or for surveys is not a mandatory requirement for participating in the contests we organize.

You can choose to receive communications from Bel by keeping the appropriate box checked on the form or through other means, as applicable. You may cancel your subscription to these communications at any time and you are offered the opportunity to do so each time we send you a communication. Please read the conditions under the “Information” section below.

Bel keeps personal information for a period of time it deems reasonable to reach the objectives set out or in accordance with the law, whichever time frame is longer. We establish retention criteria based on the type of information collected.

Once the objectives have been reached and your personal information is no longer required, or if you have asked us to delete this information, we ensure it remains anonymous or we destroy it in a way that ensures protection against unauthorized access or communication.

We never disclose your personal information to any person outside Bel without your consent, with the exception of the following:

-   any entity within our group or linked to Bel Cheese Canada Inc.;

-   our suppliers of goods and services, whether these be organizations or individuals (e.g., advertising or promotions agency), whose services have been retained to carry out duties on our behalf (such as the organization and management of promotions offered by Bel, data processing, document management, etc.). Bel takes the necessary measures, by contractual means or other, to ensure that these third-party suppliers process your personal information for the sole purpose of providing these products or services to Bel and that they protect this personal information to the same extent that Bel protects the personal information in its possession;

-   any entity resulting from a merger or change in control of Bel Cheese Canada Inc., in whole or in part, only if the parties have signed an agreement stipulating that the collection, use and disclosure of information is limited to the objectives of the commercial transaction;

-   all public authorities, if the law so requires (for example, providing the contest winners’ contact details to the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux du Québec).

We will not transfer your personal information to a promotional partner, unless you have given us permission to do so.

Information on third parties

Your friends’ e-mail addresses or other types of personal information you supplied when inviting them to enter a contest or participate in a promotion or when sending them a page from our website, if applicable, will not be collected or kept by Bel, unless these individuals have entered the contest or participated in a promotion on their own and/or have agreed to receive information from us.

Personal information concerning children and minors

The permission of a parent or guardian is mandatory to allow minors under 13 years of age to participate in activities that require them to provide us information of a personal nature.

In the case of adolescents aged 13, 14 or 15, we only collect personal information concerning their name, home address, e-mail address and telephone number, unless a parent or guardian has agreed to the collection of personal information other than the information mentioned above.

In all cases, we encourage parents and guardians to participate in their children’s activities and to supervise them when they surf on the Internet. Parents and guardians may have access to the information submitted by their minor child, and correct or delete it. They may also ask us to no longer contact the child, if applicable.

Security

All data is stored on servers with high-security safeguards, protected against misuse and access by unauthorized individuals. In accordance with this Privacy Policy, Bel also protects personal information disclosed to third parties in order to maintain the privacy of the information and to respect the purpose for which it was collected. This information is only made available to individuals (employees or agents) who need access to this information to carry out their responsibilities.

External hyperlinks posted on our website

Our site may include hyperlinks to websites that are independent of ours. These links are provided to you out of courtesy. As Bel is not responsible for the content and policies of these sites, we recommend you to read their policies before using these sites.

Changes to the Privacy Policy

Once in a while, Bel may modify its Privacy Policy. Please consult it from time to time. In the event of a modification, a notice to this effect will be posted on our website.

Information

Should you have any questions concerning our policy on the protection of personal information, the access to personal information, or the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, or if you need to know how to lodge a complaint, withdraw your name from one or several of our mailing lists or update your personal information, please contact us at contactbelcanada@groupe-bel.com.