Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Lacoste South Africa ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and respecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect your personal data when you:

  • Visit or use our website(s) (“Website”),

  • Shop online or in our physical stores (“Boutiques”),

  • Create an account, place orders, subscribe to newsletters, or otherwise interact with us,

  • Engage with our customer service, promotions, social media, or events.

By accessing our services or providing us with your personal data, you accept and agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Definitions

  • “Personal Data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

  • “Processing” or “process” means any operation performed on personal data (e.g. collection, recording, storage, use, disclosure, erasure).

  • “Controller / we / us / our” means Lacoste, as the entity determining the purposes and means of processing your personal data.

  • “Third parties / service providers” means external entities that assist us (e.g. payment processors, delivery services, marketing platforms).

3. What Personal Data Do We Collect?

We may collect, store, and use the following categories of personal data:

Category Examples
Identity & contact information Title, first name, surname, date of birth, email address, phone number, postal / shipping / billing address
Account & login credentials Username, password
Payment & transactional data Payment card number (processed by third-party payment providers), transaction history, invoices
Communications & support data Emails, chat messages, support requests, complaints, feedback
Technical & usage data IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, access times, pages visited, referral/exit pages
Cookies / tracking & analytics Cookie identifiers, analytics cookies, behavioural tracking, social media integration
CCTV / store surveillance Images / video footage captured in physical boutiques (where permitted)
Other information Information you provide voluntarily (e.g. survey responses, social media data)

4. When & How Do We Collect Data?

We collect personal data in various scenarios, including when you:

  • Visit or browse our Website

  • Register or log in to an account

  • Place an order online, by phone, or in a Boutique

  • Return products or request refunds

  • Subscribe to our newsletter or marketing communications

  • Enter contests, promotions, or events

  • Contact our customer service or support

  • Use integrated social login (e.g. “Login with Google / Facebook”)

  • Browse in a Boutique where CCTV or cameras may record your image

  • Engage with our content on social media

  • Submit data via forms, surveys, or feedback

5. Purposes & Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data for these purposes, under applicable legal bases:

Purpose Legal Basis / Justification
To fulfil and manage orders, returns, deliveries, refunds Performance of contract
To manage your account, registration, login Performance of contract / legitimate interest
Customer service, support, complaints management Legitimate interest or contractual obligations
Payment processing and fraud prevention Performance of contract / legitimate interest
Website operation, maintenance, and improvements Legitimate interest
Analytics, reporting, business insights Legitimate interest
Marketing, promotions, newsletters, personalised offers Your consent (where required)
Legal compliance (e.g. taxes, accounting) Legal obligation
Managing your rights requests (access, correction, deletion) Legal obligation / your rights

We will not use your personal data for purposes incompatible with the original reasons for collection without further notification or consent (where required).

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to collect usage data, improve our Website, and deliver advertising. Types include:

  • Essential / functional cookies: necessary for Website operation

  • Analytics / performance cookies: measure usage and performance

  • Preference cookies: remember your preferences

  • Advertising / marketing cookies: deliver relevant ads, limit ad frequency, measure ad performance

  • Social media cookies / plugins: integrate with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google

You can control or disable non-essential cookies via your browser settings or via our cookie consent manager on the Website. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect your experience or prevent certain features from working.

7. Disclosure to Third Parties

We may share or disclose your personal data with:

  • Service providers (payment gateways, delivery/courier companies, IT / hosting / infrastructure providers)

  • Analytics, marketing & advertising partners

  • Authorized agents, subcontractors, affiliates within the Lacoste group

  • Public or governmental authorities where required by law (e.g. for audits, investigations)

  • Successors in interest in case of a merger, acquisition, or asset sale

All third parties will be bound by confidentiality obligations and contractual data processing agreements requiring them to protect your personal data in accordance with applicable regulations.

8. Cross‑Border Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to and stored in countries other than your residential country, including to our group companies or service providers located abroad. Where we do so, we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place (e.g. standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, encryption) to protect your rights and data security.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected, or to comply with legal, regulatory, tax, or accounting obligations. Typical retention periods may include:

  • Account & order data: for the duration of the contractual relationship plus applicable limitation periods (e.g. 5 years)

  • Prospect / marketing leads: for a defined period after the last contact (e.g. 3 years)

  • Cookies / tracking data: up to 12–13 months (or according to cookie policy)

  • Payment card data: retained only as long as allowed for legal/tax or regulatory reasons

  • CCTV footage: retained for a limited time (e.g. 30 days)

  • Archived or anonymised data: maintained beyond active usage where necessary to meet obligations

After retention, data will be securely deleted or anonymised.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction and applicable laws, you may have one or more of the following rights:

  • Right to access your personal data and receive a copy

  • Right to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete data

  • Right to erase / delete (right to be forgotten)

  • Right to restrict or object to processing

  • Right to data portability (receive your data in a structured format)

  • Right to withdraw consent (for processing based on consent)

  • Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise your rights, please contact us (see section 13). We may require proof of identity before fulfilling requests.

11. Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These may include:

  • Encryption of data in transit (e.g. TLS / SSL)

  • Secure storage and access controls

  • Internal policies, staff training, and confidentiality agreements

  • Audits, monitoring, and access logs

  • Contractual obligations for third-party service providers

However, no transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Minors

Our services are intended for persons aged 18 or older (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors without parental consent. If we become aware of data collected from a minor, we will take steps to delete such data.

13. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may modify or update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, business practices, or customer feedback. We will notify you of significant changes (e.g. via email or notice on our Website) and indicate the “Last updated” date at the top. Continued use of our services after changes implies acceptance.

14. Contact & Data Protection Officer

If you have questions, complaints, or want to exercise your rights, you may contact us at:

  Data Protection Officer / Privacy Team
  Lacoste
  Email: [dataprotection@lacoste.com]
  Telephone:  011 245 0701