Privacy Policy
Last updated: 13 May 2026 at 10:00 AM AEST
This Privacy Policy explains how ProteinScore.com.au ("we", "us", or "our") handles personal information in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our data practices. This Policy covers all services we provide, including product rankings, buying guides, comparison tools, and editorial content.
1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
- Usage data: pages visited (including product pages, buying guides, comparison pages, and category rankings), search queries entered in our product search, products compared using our comparison tool, time spent on pages, and referring URLs. Collected automatically via server logs and analytics tools.
- Device and technical data: browser type, operating system, IP address (anonymised where possible), screen resolution, and device type (mobile, tablet, or desktop).
- Recently viewed products: we store a list of recently viewed products in your browser's local storage to provide a personalised browsing experience. This data does not leave your device and is not transmitted to our servers.
- Contact information: if you contact us via email or a contact form, we collect the information you voluntarily provide (e.g. name and email address).
- Product request data: if you submit a product request through our platform, we collect the product name and any details you provide. This information is used solely to evaluate additions to our database.
- Cookies and similar technologies: see Section 5 below.
We do not collect sensitive information (as defined in the Privacy Act 1988) unless you choose to provide it and we have obtained your consent. We do not require account creation or user registration to access the Service.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate, maintain, and improve the Service, including product rankings, buying guides, brand comparisons, and category pages
- Analyse usage patterns to understand how visitors interact with different features (search, product comparisons, guides, and rankings)
- Improve the relevance and accuracy of search results and product recommendations
- Respond to enquiries, product requests, or feedback you send us
- Monitor and protect the security of the Service
- Generate aggregated, anonymised analytics about product category trends and user interests
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use your information to send unsolicited marketing communications without your consent.
3. Disclosure of Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers: third-party vendors who assist in operating the Service (e.g. hosting providers, analytics platforms, content delivery networks), under confidentiality obligations and only to the extent necessary.
- Legal requirements: if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or others.
- Business transfer: in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to equivalent privacy protections.
We do not share personal information with the brands, manufacturers, or retailers whose products are featured on our platform.
4. Overseas Disclosure
Some of our third-party service providers (including analytics, hosting, and content delivery services) may be located outside Australia, including in the United States and European Union. Where personal information is disclosed to overseas recipients, we take reasonable steps to ensure those recipients comply with the Australian Privacy Principles or equivalent standards, as required by APP 8.
5. Cookies and Analytics
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience and analyse site usage. Cookies are small files stored on your device by your browser.
Types of cookies we may use include:
- Essential cookies: required for core functionality such as page navigation and cookie consent preferences
- Analytics cookies: used to collect anonymised usage data to understand how visitors use our product rankings, buying guides, and comparison tools
- Preference cookies: used to remember your settings (such as dark mode or recently viewed products)
We may use analytics tools (such as privacy-respecting alternatives to Google Analytics) that collect anonymised usage data. We do not use cookies to track your activity across unrelated third-party websites. You can instruct your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. However, some features of the Service may not function properly without cookies.
6. Data Security and Retention
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), secure hosting infrastructure, and access controls on administrative systems. However, no transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy or as required by law. As a guide:
- Server access logs and analytics events: retained no longer than 90 days in identifiable form, after which they are aggregated or de-identified
- Email correspondence and product-request submissions: retained for up to 7 years to satisfy record-keeping obligations and to allow follow-up on previously reported errors
- Recently-viewed product lists: stored only in your browser's local storage and never transmitted to our servers; cleared by you at any time via your browser controls
6A. Notifiable Data Breaches
We comply with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme established under Part IIIC of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If we become aware of an eligible data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to any individual whose personal information is involved, we will notify the affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as soon as practicable, in accordance with the scheme's requirements.
6B. AI Processing of Submitted Content
Editorial content on the Service (including product summaries and guide commentary) is in some cases generated or assisted by third-party AI models. Where you voluntarily submit information to us (for example, a product correction or product request), that information may be processed by AI models to assist with reviewing the submission, but we do not authorise the use of your submitted personal information (such as your name or email address) to train any third-party AI model. We instruct our AI providers to apply their no-training settings where available.
7. Your Rights Under the Australian Privacy Act
Under the Privacy Act 1988, you have the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction of personal information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading
- Complain about how we have handled your personal information
- Request deletion of personal information we hold about you (where we are not required by law to retain it)
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@proteinscore.com.au. We will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.
8. Children's Privacy
The Service is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.
9. Third-Party Links and Affiliate Links
The Service contains links to third-party websites, including retailer product pages (such as Woolworths, Coles, and Amazon Australia), manufacturer websites, and government bodies (such as FSANZ and the NHMRC). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to read their respective privacy policies.
Some outbound links may, in future, be affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure (/affiliate-disclosure/) for details. Affiliate relationships do not affect how we collect or use your personal information.
10. Buying Guides and Editorial Content
Our buying guides, brand comparisons, and "best of" lists are editorial content generated using product data from our database. When you browse these guides, the same usage data described in Section 1 may be collected (pages visited, time spent, products viewed). No additional personal information is collected through interaction with guides beyond standard usage analytics.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised Policy will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.
12. Contact and Complaints
For privacy-related enquiries or to submit a complaint, contact us at privacy@proteinscore.com.au. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may contact the OAIC at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.