Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how The IPG Ltd (“The IPG”, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal data when you interact with us, including through our website www.the-ipg.co.uk, our marketing activities, competitions, events, and when you engage with us as a tradesperson, member or supplier.

We are committed to protecting your personal data and handling it transparently, securely and in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including:

  • The UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”)
  • The Data Protection Act 2018
  • The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (“PECR”)


This policy explains your rights and how to exercise them.

2. Who We Are

The IPG Ltd is registered in England and Wales (Company No. 08749971).

Registered office:
Unit 35
BizSpace
Courtwick Lane
Littlehampton
West Sussex
BN17 7TL

We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) under registration number ZA280769.

For the purposes of UK GDPR, The IPG acts as a data controller in relation to the personal data described in this policy. In limited circumstances, we may also act as a data processor.

3. Data Protection Officer and Contact Details

We have appointed a Data Compliance Officer to oversee compliance with data protection law.

  • Data Compliance Officer: Stuart Gibbs
  • Email: data@the-ipg.co.uk

4. What Personal Data We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following categories of personal data.

Tradespeople and Website Users

  • Name
  • Job title / trade
  • Business name
  • Email address (including personal email addresses)
  • Telephone number
  • Postcode
  • How you heard about us
  • Marketing preferences and consent records
  • Competition entry information


Members and Suppliers

  • Contact details (name, business email, phone number)
  • Business information (company name, address, website, number of branches)
  • Portal login credentials (usernames and encrypted passwords)
  • Subscription, billing and payment records
  • Communications and account history


Technical and Usage Data

  • Website usage data (page views, downloads, interactions)
  • Cookie and preference data (where consent is given)


We do not knowingly collect special category data.

5. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data in the following ways:

  • When you complete forms on our website (including contact, PR & press, and trade-related forms)
  • When you enter competitions or prize draws (online, in person, or at events)
  • When you engage with us at events (including badge scanning)
  • When you communicate with us by email, phone or WhatsApp (service-related only)
  • When members and suppliers access and use our Portal
  • Through cookies and similar technologies (subject to consent)


6. Lawful Bases for Processing

We only process personal data where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR.

Consent
We rely on consent where required, including:

  • email marketing to tradespeople and sole traders
  • competition marketing communications
  • sharing personal data with members and suppliers
  • non-essential cookies and marketing technologies


You may withdraw consent at any time.

Contract
We process personal data where necessary:

  • to manage member and supplier relationships
  • to provide contracted services
  • to administer subscriptions and billing


Legitimate Interests
We may process personal data where necessary for our legitimate interests, such as:
responding to enquiries

  • administering competitions and prize fulfilment
  • improving our website and services
  • internal administration and security


We always balance our legitimate interests against your rights and expectations.

Legal Obligation
We process data where required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, including accounting and tax requirements.

7. Marketing Communications and PECR

We send marketing communications to tradespeople primarily on the basis of explicit consent, in line with PECR.

  • Marketing emails always include an unsubscribe option
  • You may withdraw consent at any time
  • Unsubscribed contacts are retained on a suppression list for three years to ensure compliance


Members and suppliers may receive service-related communications necessary for the performance of our contract. These communications do not include promotional marketing.

8. Competitions and Third-Party Data

When you enter competitions:

  • entry itself is not conditional on marketing consent
  • marketing and data-sharing consents are requested separately
  • consent for sharing data applies only to members and suppliers of The IPG, as named


Where we receive competition data from third-party partners, we rely on their assurance that valid consent has been obtained. We use such data in accordance with this policy.

9. Sharing Personal Data

We may share personal data with:

  • trusted service providers acting as processors (e.g. HubSpot, Xero, Microsoft)
  • members and suppliers of The IPG, only where you have given consent
  • professional advisers (legal, financial, compliance)
  • regulators or authorities where legally required


Members and suppliers act as independent data controllers in respect of any personal data shared with them.

We do not sell personal data.

10. International Transfers

Some of our service providers are based outside the United Kingdom, or may process personal data outside the UK, including in countries that are not subject to a UK adequacy decision.

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR. These safeguards may include the use of the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, together with additional contractual and technical measures where required.

Further information about the safeguards used, including copies of the relevant contractual protections, may be obtained by contacting us at data@the-ipg.co.uk.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary.

  • Website enquiries – 12 months
  • Trade marketing data – until you unsubscribe
  • Suppression lists – 3 years
  • Competition data – until unsubscribe or deletion request
  • Member and supplier data – anonymised after 3 years, deleted after 6 years
  • Financial records – 6 years
  • Data exports – maximum 12 months


Where personal data is anonymised, it is no longer treated as personal data under UK GDPR and may be retained for statistical or analytical purposes only.

12. Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including:

  • role-based access controls
  • individual user accounts
  • multi-factor authentication where available
  • limited data exports and retention


Access to systems is restricted to authorised users only.

13. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • right of access
  • right to rectification
  • right to erasure
  • right to restriction of processing
  • right to data portability
  • right to object to processing, including direct marketing
  • right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent


You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

14. Subject Access Requests

You may submit a subject access request by contacting us at data@the-ipg.co.uk.

We will respond to all valid requests without undue delay and in accordance with applicable data protection law. Where a request is complex or where we receive multiple requests, we may extend the response period as permitted by law, in which case we will inform you of any extension and the reasons for it.

We may verify your identity before responding to a request, where appropriate.

15. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

We do not carry out automated decision-making, including profiling, that produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you, as defined under UK GDPR.

Certain limited processes, such as the administration of competitions or the automated management of marketing preferences and data retention, may involve automated tools. These processes are administrative in nature, do not evaluate personal characteristics, and do not produce legal or similarly significant effects.

16. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies. Non-essential cookies are used only with your consent.

Full details are available in our Cookie Policy, available on our website.

17. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

18. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Any changes will be published on our website and, where appropriate, notified to you.

19. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your data, please contact us first at data@the-ipg.co.uk.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

  • www.ico.org.uk

Gift Voucher Terms & Conditions

1. General Use

  1. This gift voucher is issued by The IPG Ltd., supporting local tradespeople and independent businesses.
  2. The voucher is redeemable exclusively at independent plumbing stores and bathroom showrooms that are part of The IPG Ltd.
  3. By using this voucher, you agree to comply with these terms and conditions.

2. Redemption

  1. Gift vouchers can only be redeemed in-store, at a participating member of The IPG Ltd.
  2. Vouchers are valid for six months from the date of issue. Expired vouchers cannot be redeemed.
  3. This voucher cannot be exchanged for cash.
  4. The full value of the voucher must be used in a single transaction. Any remaining balance will not be stored or available for future use.
  5. Issued vouchers contain details of the member store you have chosen to redeem at, and this must not be changed unless otherwise agreed upon by The IPG Ltd.

3. Use in Transactions

  1. The voucher is redeemed off the final retail value of your basket at the point of sale, including VAT.
  2. The voucher cannot be accepted as payment towards a credit account, which you may have with your selected store.

4. Non-Transferable & Non-Replaceable

  1. Gift vouchers are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
  2. Replacements will not be provided for lost, stolen, or destroyed vouchers.

5. Limits & Exclusions

  1. Certain products or services may be excluded from voucher use. Please check at the point of sale.

6. Fraud & Abuse

  1. Any misuse or fraud associated with gift vouchers will result in the voucher being void and possible legal action.
  2. The IPG Ltd. and participating member stores reserve the right to refuse the redemption of any voucher suspected to be obtained fraudulently.

7. Changes to Terms

  1. The IPG Ltd. reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website and will apply to vouchers issued after the date of the change.

Contact Information

If you have any inquiries or concerns about the terms and conditions related to Trade Local Day, please contact us at marketing@the-ipg.co.uk.