Privacy Policy

Last updated: 6 June 2026

BudgetBitesUK ("we", "us", "our") provides a meal-planning, shopping-list and food-budgeting service for UK households, available as a website and as an Android app on the Google Play Store. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the rights you have over your data. By creating an account or using BudgetBitesUK you agree to the practices described here.

1. Data we collect

We collect only the data needed to run the service and provide the features you use:

  • Account information — your email address and authentication credentials, handled by Google Firebase Authentication. If you sign in with Google, we receive your basic Google profile information (name, email address, and profile photo) to create and identify your account.
  • Profile & meal preferences — your weekly food budget, household size, kitchen appliances, taste preferences, allergens, and dietary requirements. Some dietary options are health-adjacent (for example diabetes, coeliac, IBS, and low-FODMAP) and are used only to tailor recipes and meal plans for you.
  • Content you create in the app — saved recipes, generated meal plans, and shopping lists. On the Pro plan this also includes food-waste logs, cupboard inventory, and nutrition logs.
  • Subscription & purchase information — if you buy a paid plan, the payment is processed by our payment provider, Stripe. We do not collect or store your card or bank details — Stripe handles them under its own privacy policy. We only store your subscription tier and status so we can unlock the right features.
  • Technical & usage data — basic information needed to operate the app securely, such as authentication tokens and session data managed by Firebase. We also collect aggregated, pseudonymous usage statistics through Google Analytics for Firebase (for example which screens are visited and how often the app is opened) so we can understand how BudgetBitesUK is used and improve it. We do not use analytics for advertising, we do not collect your device's advertising ID, and we do not use third-party advertising SDKs.

2. How we use your data

  • To provide the core service — generate personalised meal plans and recipes, build cost-estimated shopping lists, and track your budget and (on Pro) food waste.
  • To power AI recipe and meal-plan generation. Your budget, household, and dietary inputs are sent to our AI provider (OpenAI) to produce suggestions. We do not send your email address or account identifiers for this purpose.
  • To create and manage your account, your subscription, and your access to free and paid features.
  • To keep the service secure, prevent abuse, and maintain quotas (for example the free-plan weekly recipe limit).
  • To comply with our legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal data and we do not use it for third-party advertising.

3. Who we share data with

We share data only with the service providers needed to run BudgetBitesUK, each acting on our behalf under their own security and privacy commitments:

  • Google Firebase — user authentication, database storage (Firestore), and aggregated usage analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase).
  • OpenAI — to generate recipe and meal-plan suggestions from your preferences.
  • Stripe — to process and verify subscription payments.

We do not share your data with anyone else except where required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and service.

4. Data storage & security

Your data is stored in Google Firebase (Firestore) and transmitted over encrypted (HTTPS/TLS) connections. Access is enforced by security rules so that you can only read and write your own data — one account cannot access another household's profile, plans, lists, or logs. Your subscription tier is granted only by our trusted server after a verified purchase and cannot be changed from your device.

5. Data retention

We keep your personal data for as long as your account is active. When your account is deleted, your profile and associated content are removed from our active systems. We may retain limited records where required to meet legal, accounting, or security obligations.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete data (most of which you can edit directly in your account settings).
  • Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
  • Export or receive a copy of your data (data portability).
  • Restrict or object to certain processing, and withdraw consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.

7. Data deletion requests

You can request deletion of your account and personal data at any time. To do so, email us at budgetbitesappuk@gmail.com from the email address associated with your account, with the subject line "Delete My Account".

Once we have verified your request, we will delete your account and the personal data associated with it — including your profile, preferences, saved recipes, meal plans, shopping lists, and any waste, cupboard, and nutrition logs — within 30 days, except for any limited information we are legally required to retain. Deleting your account does not automatically cancel an active paid subscription; please cancel your subscription first so you are not billed again.

See our Account Deletion Request page for step-by-step instructions.

8. Google Play compliance

BudgetBitesUK complies with the Google Play User Data policy and Developer Program Policies. The data we collect and how it is used and shared is disclosed here and reflected in the app's Google Play Data safety section. All personal data is transmitted over secure encrypted connections, we do not sell user data, and we provide an in-policy method to request data deletion (see section 7).

9. Children

BudgetBitesUK is intended for adults managing a household and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can remove it.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "last updated" date above. Significant changes will be communicated within the app or by email where appropriate.

11. Contact us

For any privacy questions, data requests, or concerns, contact us at budgetbitesappuk@gmail.com.

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