We are pleased with your interest in our website. The protection of your privacy is very important to us. Therefore, we will process your data carefully, for a specific purpose or according to your consent and only in accordance with the legal requirements for data protection.
In this data protection policy we inform you about the aspects of data processing within our website.
The responsible body in the sense of the data protection laws is the:
Villeroy & Boch AG
Saaruferstraße
66693 Mettlach
Telephone number +49 (0) 68 64 / 81 3835
E-Mail information(at)villeroy-boch.com
(herein after ‘Villeroy & Boch’)
I. When and for what purposes does Villeroy & Boch collect personal data?
Basically, the use of our websites without your input of personal data is possible.
If you use one of our services (e.g. our newsletter, the bathroom planner, our online shop or our contact form), you enter your data voluntarily. We use this data (such as name, address, e-mail address, telephone and fax number) exclusively for the purpose for which you provide them (e.g. for processing contact requests, processing orders and payments, delivery of goods and provision of services such as, in particular, the dispatch of newsletters or bathroom planning) and only for the execution of our own business purposes. Information we receive from you helps us process your order as smoothly as possible, improve our service for you and prevent abuse and fraud.
When you access our website, information of a general nature is automatically recorded. This information (server log files) includes, for example, the type of web browser, the operating system used, the domain name of your internet service provider and such like. This is only information that does not allow conclusions to be drawn about you. This information is technically necessary in order to correctly deliver the contents of websites requested by you and is mandatory when using the internet. Anonymous information of this kind is statistically evaluated by us, in order to optimise our internet appearance and the technology behind it.
We do not sell your data, nor do we use it for unspecified purposes. Your personal data will only be used within the Villeroy & Boch Group and by those of our business partners who may be commissioned to fulfil your wishes. Below we inform you in detail about the handling of your data.
II. General information about our service
If you use our services, we will ask you for personal data (at the time of collection, we will explain which information is required and which you may voluntarily provide).
To protect the security of your data during transmission, we use state-of-the-art encryption techniques (such as SSL) over HTTPS.
For users who have signed up for one or more of the following services, it is possible to change or delete the information provided at registration at any time. Of course, we also provide you with information about the personal data we hold about you at any time. We are happy to correct or delete these at your request, as far as no legal storage requirements prevent this. To contact us in this context and to revoke your consent, please use the contact details given at the end of this data protection policy.
III. Our services in detail
In the following, we would like to explain our services to you in detail, explaining in particular the legal basis and the purpose of the data processing.
1. Personal newsletter
If you have specifically subscribed to our newsletter, we will use your information to periodically send you personalised information about new products, promotions, competitions and our many customer services.For a successful registration we need a valid e-mail address. In order to verify that an application is actually made by the owner of an e-mail address, we use the ‘double opt-in’ procedure. For this purpose we record the order of the newsletter, the dispatch of a confirmation e-mail and the receipt of the requested answer. The data will be used exclusively for the newsletter and will not be shared with third parties.Your consent to the storage of your personal data and its use for newsletter distribution can be revoked at any time. Each newsletter has a corresponding link for this purpose. In addition, you can unsubscribe at any time via the contact options indicated at the end of this data protection notice.By unsubscribing, we consider your consent to the creation of your personalised user profile and the receipt of newsletters based on it to be revoked.
Purpose of data processing: Regular dispatch of newsletters by e-mail to the e-mail address provided by you.
Legal basis: Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent)
Profiling: We evaluate your use of the sent newsletters and the subsequent visits to our website in order to further improve the newsletter and our website and to optimise those according to your actual interests.
In order to always provide you with a personally tailored offer and to anticipate which products of ours you may be interested in, we will create a customer profile for you based on the information we have about you. We use existing information, such as your shopping history, preferences and interests that you actively share with us via your customer account or that we derive from your recorded interactions with our newsletter. Standard technologies such as cookies or tracking pixels are used in our newsletter. The messages we send you will be personalised and customised according to your individual preferences and interests.
2. Sweepstakes and contests
Every so often you will have the opportunity to participate in sweepstakes and contests on our website. Personal data (e-mail address, name, address and other information as needed) may likewise be collected and stored during these campaigns for the purpose of execution, depending on the respective terms and conditions of participation that apply. The personal information we collect from you during these campaigns will only be used to run the campaign (e.g. determining the winner of sweepstakes, notifying the winner and sending the prize) and will be deleted after it is finished.
If you have given your express consent as part of the campaign, we will send you our newsletter as described under III. 2. If you choose to revoke your consent later, this will not negatively impact your chances at winning or your participation in sweepstakes.
Purpose of data processing: Implementing and executing the sweepstakes/contest.
Legal basis: Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent)
3. Contact form
If you contact us via e-mail or using our contact form, the information you provide will be stored for the purposes of processing the request as well as for any follow-up questions and sending you any requested informational materials, if applicable.
Purpose of data processing: Responding to your request.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR (required for implementing pre-contractual measures that are made at the request of the person in question)
4. Online application
If you contact us through our online application process, the information you provide will be used for the purpose of processing your application.
If you are applying for a specific position at an affiliated company of Villeroy & Boch, it may be necessary for your application to be forwarded by us to the respective affiliated company for whose job advertisement you have applied.
Purpose of data processing: Processing of the application you submit.
Legal basis: Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent)
5. Right to revoke your consent
If you use one of the services described that is based on consent, the following applies to this consent:
Revoking consent: Consent that you grant is always voluntary and may be revoked at any time with effect for the future, without giving reasons. You can contact Villeroy & Boch at the address above to do this.
6. Social plug-ins
We offer you the option of using “social media buttons” on our website. We rely on the “Shariff” solution to protect your data in implementation. As a result, these buttons are only integrated onto the website as graphics that contain a link to the corresponding website of the button’s provider. Clicking this graphic will redirect you to the respective provider’s services. Your data will not be sent to the respective provider until then. As long as you do not click the graphic, there will be no exchange of any kind between you and the provider of the social media button. Information about the collection and use of your data in social networks can be found in the relevant provider’s respective terms and conditions of use.
We have integrated social media buttons for the following companies on our website:
Facebook Inc. (1601 S. California Ave - Palo Alto - CA 94304 - USA)
Twitter Inc. (795 Folsom St. - Suite 600 - San Francisco - CA 94107 - USA)
Pinterest (808 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA)
Instagram (601 Willow Rd - Menlo Park CA 94025 - USA)
7. Villeroy & Boch Fan Pages on social networks/ platforms
We use our fan pages on social networks and platforms for active communication with customers and users. When you visit these fanpages, your data may be collected and stored for market research and advertising purposes in order to create user profiles using pseudonyms. We use these in order to be able to display advertising to you within and outside the platforms, which is based on your presumed interests. For this purpose, cookies are used when visiting our fan pages, which store the usage behavior of the pseudonymous user.
You will find a complete description of the respective processing and the possibilities for objection in the details of the respective providers.
They can also best support you with information requests and the assertion of user rights. Should you require our help in this regard, please do not hesitate to contact us.
https://de-de.facebook.com/legal/terms/page_controller_addendum
IV. Collecting data during your visit to our website
Along with the information that you submit yourself, we collect other data from you during your visit through cookies and tracking. We would like to clarify this in the following.
1. Cookies and other tracking technologies
“Cookies” are used on parts of our website. This standard technology refers to small text files that are stored on the device you use and allow your visit to a website to be made more convenient or more secure, among other things. Through this, we automatically receive certain data about your computer and your internet connection, such as your IP address, the browser used and operating
system,. Cookies may also be used to better tailor the offerings on a website to the visitor’s interests or generally improve the site based on statistical analysis.
Cookies cannot be used to start programs or transmit viruses to a computer. Using the information in the cookies, we can make navigation easier for you and allow our web pages to be displayed correctly.
Third-party technologies such as scripts, pixels and tags that we embed in our websites for advertising purposes also set cookies on your terminal device. In the following sections, we explain what we use these technologies for and how you can adjust the settings to suit your needs.
2. cookie categories
Depending on the function and purpose, we divide data processing into different categories. The purpose of each category is described in our Consent Management Tool and your consent to these categories can be adjusted here.
You can decide yourself whether the browser you use permits cookies or not. Please note that website functionalities may be restricted or even suspended if cookies are disabled.
3. Purpose of processing, legal basis and legitimate interests
The following applies to the use of cookies and other tracking technologies:
Purpose of data processing: Secure operation of the website as well as allowing targeted communication with customers.
Legal basis: Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR (legitimate interest)
Legitimate interests:
· Ensuring proper function of our website
· Optimization of our website
4. revocation of consent
Consents given by you are always voluntary and can be revoked at any time with effect for the future without giving reasons.
Your consent to cookies and other technologies can be adjusted here.
5. browser settings
You can determine yourself whether the browser you use allows cookies or not. Please note that the functionality of websites may be restricted or even suspended if cookies are not allowed.
Here you can find out more about how to set your browser correctly:
Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies
Mozilla Firefox: http://support.mozilla.com/de-DE/kb/Cookies
Google Chrome: http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=de&answer=95647
Safari: https://support.apple.com/kb/PH17191?viewlocale=de_DE&locale=de_DE
Opera: http://www.opera.com/browser/tutorials/security/privacy/
Adobe (Flash cookies): http://www.adobe.com/privacy/policies/flash-player.html
Google Chrome App: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/61416?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=de
6. location of processing of information collected via cookies
Information collected via cookies is primarily processed within the European Union (EU). In some cases, cookie information may also be processed by our contracted service providers or by third-party cookie providers in countries outside the EU that do not offer a comparable level of data protection from an EU perspective. In some countries, such as the USA, there is a particular risk that local authorities may obtain access to cookie information processed there for monitoring purposes and that there are no effective legal remedies against such access. We have implemented appropriate additional safeguards, such as contracts based on the EU standard contractual clauses and the implementation of supplementary technical measures to ensure that information collected via cookies is adequately protected. Where you have given your consent to the use of cookies and other tracking technologies, you also consent to the transfer and further processing of information collected via cookies to countries outside the EU.
V. implemented technologies
VI. Joint responsibility
Villeroy & Boch is jointly responsible with third parties for certain processing of personal data of visitors to our website pursuant to Art. 4 No. 7 DSGVO and has concluded special agreements for this purpose pursuant to Art. 26 Para. 1 Sentence 2. Facebook Pixel: https://www.facebook.com/legal/controller_addendum
Pinterest Tag: https://business.pinterest.com/de/pinterest-advertising-services-agreement/united-states-of-america/
Criteo: https://www.criteo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Criteo-Data-Protection-Agreement-Feb-23_DE.pdf
TikTok Pixel: https://ads.tiktok.com/i18n/official/policy/controller-to-controller
These agreements stipulate in particular that these third parties are primarily responsible for data processing and that Villeroy & Boch has no access to the individual data of visitors (but can only call up aggregated statistics, e.g. regarding gender or age distribution).
Furthermore, they undertake to respect the rights of the data subjects and to respond, for example, to requests for information, objections or deletion.
You can find an overview of the cookies used on our website under V. Technologies used. You can revoke your consent to the processing of your personal data for the purposes stated there at any time in the future by calling up our cookie banner again via the footer of our homepage and adjusting your settings accordingly.
Villeroy & Boch asks visitors to the website to contact the aforementioned third parties directly with regard to the assertion of their data subject rights concerning the processing of their data. Villeroy & Boch could also only forward requests for information, for example.
VII. Recipients/categories of recipients
1. To other companies in the Villeroy & Boch group
Personal data that you provide during registration (your name, e-mail address, password, and date of birth) will be shared with other companies in the Villeroy & Boch group in order to allow support from the respective company responsible for you.
We can share the data from your profile with other companies in the Villeroy & Boch group if both companies are responsible for your personal data or if the other companies act as our service provider and your personal data is processed according to our instructions or on our behalf.
We share anonymised and aggregated information with other companies in the Villeroy & Boch group to use for trend analysis.
2. To third parties
We will only share the data you provide for the purposes of contract fulfilment, such as with shipping companies or payment service providers, or when we are legally obliged to do so. Examples of these recipients include
· Authorities and courts (legal duty of disclosure)
· Lawyers (assertion of claims)
· Credit institutes (processing payment transactions)
· Credit agencies (for checking credit history)
· Auditors and income tax auditors/accountants (legal audit assignment)
· Insurance companies, insurance agents
· Tax consultants
· Expert/appraiser
· Health insurance providers/pension funds (social insurance carriers)
3. Data transmission to foreign countries
If we process data in other countries (meaning outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)) or this occurs in the process of utilising the services of third parties or transmitting data to third parties, this will only be done for the purpose of fulfilling our contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, due to a legal obligation or based on our legitimate interests.
In doing so, we ensure that your personal data is processed in compliance with the European level of data protection, based on special guarantees or due to corresponding contractual obligation including adequate technical and organisational measures.
VIII. Information about children
We do not knowingly collect any personal data about children under 13 years old as a matter of principle. If we become aware that we have unintentionally collected personal data about children under 13 years old, we will take steps to delete this information as quickly as possible insofar as we are not obliged to retain it under the applicable law.
IX. Obligation to provide data, automatic decision making, profiling
1. Do I have an obligation to provide data?
In the context of the contractual relationship, you must provide the personal data that is necessary for acceptance, implementation and completion of the contractual relationship and for fulfilment of the duties related to the contract, or that we are obliged by law to collect. Without this data, we will generally not be able to conclude or implement the contract with you.
2. To what extent is there automated decision making/profiling:
Within the framework of the procedure for sending newsletters described under III. 1, we use profiling to the extent described there.
X. Deleting or locking data
We abide by the principles of data reduction and data economy.
We therefore only store your personal data as long as necessary for achieving the purposes described here or for the retention period set in place by lawmakers. Once the respective purpose has ceased to exist or this period has lapsed, the relevant data is routinely locked or deleted in accordance with legal regulations. If processing is based on consent, the respective purpose generally is considered to cease existing when consent becomes invalid due to revocation or passage of time. If processing is necessary for fulfilment of the contact, this will generally occur when the contract has been completed in full and after the retention period expires, which in particular arises from the German Commercial Code or the tax code.
XI. What data protection rights do you have?
You have the right to information under article 15 of the GDPR, the right to correction under article 16 of the GDPR, the right to erasure under article 17 of the GDPR, the right to restriction of processing under article 18 of the GDPR, the right to objection under article 21 of the GDPR, and the right to data portability under article 20 of the GDPR.
You can contact our data protection commissioner to exercise these rights.
There is also the right to file a complete with a competent data protection supervisory authority (article 77 of the GDPR in conjunction with section 19 of the Federal Data Protection Act). A list of supervisory authorities (for the non-public sector) with addresses can be found here: ec.europa.eu/justice/article-29/structure/data-protection-authorities/index_en.html
XII. Our data protection officer
If you have questions about this statement or about data protection at Villeroy & Boch, you can contact our data protection officers directly:
Contact data for our data protection officers:
Villeroy & Boch AG
Data protection officer
Saaruferstraße
66693 Mettlach
Telephone number +49 (0) 68 64 / 8 10
service.datenschutz(at)villeroy-boch.com
XIII. Changes to our data protection provisions
We reserve the right to adjust this data privacy notice every so often so that it always meets the current legal requirements or to implement changes in our services in the data privacy notice, e.g. introducing new services. The new data privacy notice will then apply to your return visit.
Version: 03.04.2023