Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

• Personal Health Information: To provide safety scores, we collect data regarding your allergies, dietary restrictions (e.g., Keto, Vegan), and health goals.
• Camera and Image Data: We access your device's camera to scan barcodes and product labels. Images are processed to extract text for analysis.
• Location Data: To power the "Smart Locator" feature, we collect your precise or approximate location to find nearby grocery inventory and pricing.
• Usage Data: We track how you interact with the app to improve our AI models and user experience.
• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, and encrypted login credentials to securely maintain your profile.
• Payment Information: If you upgrade to a ShelfCoach Pro or Family Guard subscription, your billing information is collected and processed securely by our third-party payment processors (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Stripe). We do not store your full credit card number on our servers.
• Device Information: We may collect device-specific information such as your hardware model, operating system version, and unique device identifiers to troubleshoot bugs and optimize app performance.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your data strictly to facilitate the App's core functionality:

• AI Analysis: Your dietary preferences are cross-referenced with ingredient lists to generate safety scores.
• Inventory Mapping: Your location is used solely to display relevant stores and stock levels.
• Account Management: To maintain your preferences across devices.
• Customer Support: To respond to your inquiries, investigate reported bugs in the scanning tool, and provide technical assistance.
• Service Improvement: To conduct research, internal analytics, and feature development, ensuring our ingredient detection algorithms continue to improve.
• Communication: To send you essential administrative messages, security alerts, and updates regarding changes to our terms or services.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable legal obligations, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect the rights and safety of ShelfCoach and our users.

3. AI & Data Processing

ShelfCoach utilizes Artificial Intelligence to interpret ingredient labels. While we strive for accuracy, AI processing is probabilistic. Data submitted for analysis (e.g., product text) may be processed by third-party LLM (Large Language Model) providers strictly for the purpose of generating results. We do not sell your health data to advertisers.

To further protect your privacy, we employ data minimization techniques. Whenever possible, we strip personally identifiable information (PII) from scan queries before they reach our AI processing partners. In the case of our "Group Filter" feature for family accounts, dietary constraints are aggregated during the scanning process to maintain the privacy of individual family members.

4. Data Storage, Security, & Retention

We employ industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) for data in transit and at rest. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.

Data Retention: We retain your personal health information and account data only for as long as your account is active, or as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. If you choose to delete your account, your data will be purged from our active databases in accordance with our standard deletion schedule, subject to any legal obligations requiring us to retain certain records.

5. Third-Party Services

We may share data with the following types of third-party service providers:

• Cloud Hosting: (e.g., Firebase, Google Cloud) for infrastructure.
• Map Services: To display store locations.
• Analytics: To understand app performance (aggregated, anonymized data).
• Payment Processors: To securely handle subscription billing and recurring payments.
• Customer Communication Platforms: To manage support tickets and send necessary transactional emails.

6. Your Rights (GDPR, CCPA & App Store Mandates)

Depending on your location, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request deletion of your account and data.
• Opt-out of location tracking via your device settings.
• Right to Rectification: Correct any inaccurate or incomplete data within your profile.
• Right to Data Portability: Request an export of your health logs and saved shopping lists.

How to Delete Your Account: You maintain full control over your data. To exercise your right to deletion, you may permanently delete your account directly within the ShelfCoach App by navigating to Settings > Account > Delete Account. Alternatively, you may submit a deletion request by contacting us at the email address provided below.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

ShelfCoach is not designed for, nor directed at, children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and become aware that your child has provided us with personal data without your consent, please contact us immediately so we can take steps to remove that information and terminate the unauthorized account.

8. Changes to this Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy or your data, please contact us at: