Metique Cosmetic Manufacturing
Effective Date: 20 June 2025

1. Introduction

Metique (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to safeguarding your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is protected in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa. As a cosmetic manufacturing company, we also comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and product development requirements related to cosmetic products.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and store your personal information when you access or use our website [www.metique.co.za] (“the Website”).

2. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following personal information:

2.1 General Personal Information

• Identity Information: Name, surname, ID number, company details (if applicable)
• Contact Information: Email address, telephone number, physical address
• Technical Information: IP address, device information, browser type, cookies
• Transactional Information: Product orders, delivery details
• Marketing Preferences: Consent to receive newsletters or promotional material

2.2 Information Related to Product Development

As part of our cosmetic product development process and in alignment with GMP (ISO 22716), we may collect:

• Customer Requirements/Preferences: Product specifications, fragrance or ingredient preferences, special requests
• Allergen Declarations or Ingredient Preferences (when formulating custom products)
• Testing Feedback: Feedback provided by customers during product testing or trials
• Technical Data for R&D: Where required for formulation improvements or new product development (aggregated or anonymised where possible)

Such data is collected strictly for the purpose of product development, safety, and quality improvement.

3. Purpose of Collection

We process your personal information for the following reasons:

• To fulfil product orders and provide related services
• To develop or customise cosmetic products based on customer feedback or specifications
• To ensure traceability of raw materials and finished products in line with GMP
• To comply with industry and legal requirements, including product safety standards
• For marketing and promotional purposes, only where consent is given
• To improve website functionality, content, and user experience

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Processing is conducted on the following lawful bases:

• Consent (e.g., for marketing or product development collaboration)
• Legal Obligations (e.g., compliance with health and safety laws, cosmetic industry regulations)
• Contractual Necessity (to provide services or products requested by you)
• Legitimate Interests (e.g., research and development of cosmetic products)

5. Sharing of Personal Information

We will only share your personal information as necessary and for legitimate purposes:

• With third-party suppliers or service providers assisting in R&D or product testing (subject to confidentiality agreements)
• With logistics providers for delivery purposes
• With regulatory authorities (if required by law or for safety-related recalls)
• With affiliates or business partners (only with your prior consent)

We will never sell your personal information.

6. Data Security

We apply industry-standard security measures to protect your personal data, including:

• Secure databases and firewalls
• Restricted access to personal data
• GMP-aligned documentation and traceability measures

7. Retention of Information

Your personal information will be retained for as long as necessary:

• For the purposes for which it was collected
• As required for legal, GMP, or regulatory compliance (e.g., product traceability)
• For record-keeping during the product development lifecycle (if applicable)

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Request correction or deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations)
• Object to certain types of processing (e.g., direct marketing)
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/)

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to collect technical information to enhance your website experience. You may modify your browser settings to decline cookies.

10. Direct Marketing

We will only send you direct marketing communications with your explicit consent. You can opt-out at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” in marketing emails or contacting us directly.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, and this Privacy Policy does not apply to them.

12. Cross-Border Transfers

Where applicable, if we transfer personal data outside South Africa, we will ensure appropriate data protection measures in accordance with POPIA.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The updated version will be posted on this Website with the revision date.

14. Contact Us

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact:

Information Officer: Pierre Ackerman
Email: ops@metique.co.za
Phone: 076 600 1635
Address: Unit 36 Acacia Business Park, 73 Nguni Way, Waterfall, KZN, South Africa, 3610.