Privacy policy

 

At Pots and Pithoi, we’re committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

This Policy explains when and why we collect personal information about people who visit our website, how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and how we keep it secure.

We may change this Policy from time to time so please check this page occasionally to ensure that you’re happy with any changes. By using our website, you’re agreeing to be bound by this Policy.

Any questions regarding this Policy and our privacy practices should be sent by email to enquiries@potsandpithoi.com or by writing to Pots and Pithoi, The Barns, East St, Turners Hill, West Sussex. Alternatively, you can telephone 01342714793.

How do we collect information from you?

We collect data to operate effectively and provide you with the best experience on our website. You provide some of this data directly, such as when you make a purchase or when you register to receive our email newsletters. We get some of it by recording how you interact with our website by, for example, using technologies like cookies.

What type of information is collected from you?

The personal information we collect might include your name, address, email address, IP address, and information regarding what pages you accessed and when. If you purchase a pot or product from us, your card information is not held by us, it is collected by our third party payment processors, who specialise in the secure online capture and processing of credit/debit card transactions.

How is your information used?

We may use your information to:

• Process orders that you have submitted

• To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into by you and us

• Dealing with entries into a competition

• Seek your views or comments on the services and products we provide

• Notify you of changes to our services

• Send you communications which you have requested and that may be of interest to you. These may include information about offers, events, new additions to our range, activities, promotions of our associated companies goods and services


We review our retention periods for personal information on a regular basis. We hold some types of information to fulfil our contract with you. We will hold your personal information on our systems for as long as is necessary for the relevant activity, or as long as is set out in any relevant contract you hold with us.

Who do we share you personal data with?

Third Party Service Providers & Suppliers working on our behalf: We may pass your information to our trusted third party service providers, suppliers, agents subcontractors and other associated organisations for the purposes of completing tasks and providing services to you on our behalf. For example, to send you emails or catalogues, to deliver the products you have ordered from us, fraud management and so on.

However, when we use third party service providers & suppliers;

• We disclose only the personal information that is necessary to deliver the service and we have a contract in place that requires them to use your data for an exact purpose whilst keeping your information protected and secure at all times.
• We will not release your information to third parties for them to use for their own direct marketing purposes, unless you have requested us to do so, or we are required to do so by law, for example, by a court order or for the purposes of prevention of fraud or other crime.

We may transfer your personal information to a third party as part of a sale of some or all of our business and assets to any third party or as part of any business restructuring or reorganisation, or if we’re under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation or to enforce or apply our terms of use or to protect the rights, property or safety of our customers. However, we will take steps with the aim of ensuring that your privacy rights continue to be protected.

Your marketing choices

You have a choice about whether or not you wish to receive information from us. If you do not want to receive direct marketing communications from us about our exciting plants, products and events, then you can select your choices by leaving blank the relevant boxes situated on the forms on which we collect your information.
We will not contact you for marketing purposes by email unless you have given your prior consent. We will not contact you for marketing purposes by post if you have indicated that you do not wish to be contacted. You can change your marketing preferences at any time by logging into the My Account area on the website or contacting us by email: enquiries@potsandpithoi.com

How you can access and update your information

The accuracy of your information is important to us. If you would like to change your details at any point, please log into your account and update the relevant area.

You have the right to ask for a copy of the information Pots and Pithoi hold about you free of charge. To request this, please email enquiries@potsandpithoi.com

We reserve the right to charge an administrative fee for further copies of the same information or when a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly if it is repetitive.

You have the right to ask us to delete all information held on you by potsandpithoi.co.uk. To request this, please email enquiries@potsandpithoi.com. Please note - if you need to request a refund after making this request, you must be able to provide your order number and details or the plants or products purchased.

Security precautions in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of your information

When you give us personal information, we take steps to ensure that it’s treated securely. Any sensitive information (such as credit or debit card details) is encrypted and protected on SSL. When you are on a secure page, a lock icon will appear on the bottom of web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or in the address bar on Google Chrome.

Non-sensitive details (your email address etc.) are transmitted normally over the Internet, and this can never be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. Once we receive your information, we make our best effort to ensure its security on our systems. Where we have given (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of our websites, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.

Profiling

We may analyse your personal information to create a profile of your interests and preferences so that we can contact you with information relevant to you and create a more personalised experience on our website. We may make use of additional information about you when it is available from external sources to help us do this effectively. We may also use your personal information to detect and reduce fraud and credit risk.

Use of 'cookies'

Like many other websites, the potsandpithoi.co.uk website uses cookies. 'Cookies' are small pieces of information sent by an organisation to your computer and stored on your hard drive to allow that website to recognise you when you visit. They collect statistical data about your browsing actions and patterns and do not identify you as an individual. For example, we use cookies to store the products you have added to your shoppingcart. This helps us to optimise your experience on our website and deliver a more personalised service.

It is possible to switch off cookies by setting your browser preferences. Turning cookies off may result in a loss of functionality when using our website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites run by other organisations. This privacy policy applies only to our website‚ so we encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit. We cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of other sites even if you access them using links from our website.

In addition, if you linked to our website from a third party site, we cannot be responsible for the privacy policies and practices of the owners and operators of that third party site and recommend that you check the policy of that third party site.

16 or Under

We are concerned to protect the privacy of children aged 16 or under. If you are aged 16 or under‚ please get your parent/guardian's permission beforehand whenever you provide us with personal information.

Transferring your information outside of Europe

As part of the services offered to you through this website, the information which you provide to us may be transferred to countries outside the European Union (“EU”). By way of example, this may happen if any of our servers are from time to time located in a country outside of the EU. These countries may not have similar data protection laws to the UK. By submitting your personal data, you’re agreeing to this transfer, storing or processing. If we transfer your information outside of the EU in this way, we will take steps to ensure that appropriate security measures are taken with the aim of ensuring that your privacy rights continue to be protected as outlined in this Policy.
If you use our services while you are outside the EU, your information may be transferred outside the EU in order to provide you with those services.

Review of this Policy

We keep this Policy under regular review. This Policy was last updated on 26th February 2020

Obviously, if you place an order with us, we're going to need to know something about you: your name, address, credit card number and expiry date. We couldn't do without it. We'll also ask you for a telephone number so you can sort out when you want us to deliver. You will also be asked if you want to receive our advance notice of special offers etc. If you don't want to get any care info, then all you have to do is tick the 'unsubscribe' box.

We will never give out your email address to any third party as we think unsolicited emails are the worst kind of intrusion. If you are unsure about anything or you would like to know more, please write to enquiries@potsandpithoi.com

 

Sustainability Policy

At Pots & Pithoi, we recognise that our business has both an environmental and social responsibility. From supporting and preserving a specialist craft industry to working with natural, sustainable materials, sustainability is closely connected to our core ethos.

As a company specialising in handmade terracotta pottery, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact, supporting responsible supply chains, and making positive contributions to our customers, team, suppliers, and wider community.

Our aim is to operate in a way that is commercially responsible, environmentally conscious, and socially fair, while continuing to supply the high-quality products that have defined our company since 1985. Made to last a lifetime, hand-thrown by skilled artisans, and supplied to customers worldwide, our pottery reflects what makes Pots & Pithoi proudly different.

Our Sustainability Values

We believe that sustainability should be embedded in the way we work. Our approach is guided by the following principles:

 

• Durability over disposability — We pride ourselves on the durability of our pottery and prioritise long-lasting, high-quality products that can be used and enjoyed for many years. Terracotta is a natural material, taken from the earth and eventually able to return to it. Our pottery is fired using crushed olive pits, a by-product from local industries, helping to make use of an existing natural waste stream. This reflects one of the core principles of our “Earth Refined” ethos: creating beautiful, enduring products from natural materials, with respect for both craft and environment.

 

• Responsible sourcing — We have worked with our principal pottery since 1985, building a long-standing relationship based on trust, quality, and shared values. Our potters share our commitment to craftsmanship, responsible production, and creating durable products designed to last for many years.

 

·        Waste reduction — We reuse packaging materials from our shipments wherever safe and practical, with the aim of reducing unnecessary waste across packaging, transport, operations, and product handling. This includes shredding cardboard from incoming consignments for use as protective packaging, as well as reusing pallets, crates, and other suitable materials from our deliveries. By giving packaging a second life, we reduce avoidable waste while continuing to protect our products during storage and dispatch.

 

·        Lower-impact operations — In 2024, we installed 62 solar panels at our showroom in West Sussex as part of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our use of clean energy. This investment helps us lower the environmental impact of our day-to-day operations and reflects our practical approach to making meaningful, long-term improvements across the business.

 

·        Fair and respectful working relationships — We value our close working relationships with our pottery, team, customers, and wider supply chain, and aim to work with integrity, transparency, and mutual respect. By supporting skilled artisans and a pottery-making tradition that dates back to the Minoan era, we are helping to sustain an important craft industry and encourage younger generations of potters within local communities. This commitment helps preserve traditional skills, support livelihoods, and protect a specialist trade from decline.

 

Environmental Commitments

We are committed to managing and reducing the environmental impacts of our business activities. This includes the sourcing, transportation, storage, sale, and delivery of our products.

1. Responsible Products and Materials

Our core products are made from natural terracotta and are designed to last a lifetime. We support traditional pottery-making skills and champion products that age naturally and improve with time. By prioritising durability, craftsmanship, and timeless design, we aim to offer an alternative to throwaway culture and lower-quality products that require frequent replacement.

We will:

• Prioritise durability by offering products that are made for long-term outdoor use, repairable where practical, and designed to be bought once and enjoyed for a lifetime.
• Continue to support the use of natural and sustainable materials, including natural terracotta clay and the reuse of suitable by-products, such as crushed olive pits, in the firing of our pottery.
• Avoid unnecessary short-life plastic products wherever suitable alternatives exist, while highlighting the natural properties of terracotta as a durable, sustainable alternative to plastic, fibreglass, and other lower-quality materials.

 

2. Packaging and Waste

We recognise that packaging and product protection are necessary, particularly for fragile pottery, but we are committed to reducing waste wherever possible.

We will:

• Reuse pallets, crates, packaging materials, and protective wrapping wherever safe and practical.
• Encourage responsible disposal and recycling of packaging materials.
• Reduce avoidable single-use packaging across our operations.
• Monitor damaged goods and packaging waste to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Seek packaging suppliers that offer recycled, recyclable, or lower-impact alternatives.

Target: By the end of 2027, we aim to ensure that at least 75% of outbound packaging materials are reused, recyclable, recycled, or from responsibly sourced materials, where product safety allows.

3. Transport and Deliveries

Transport is one of the most significant environmental impacts within our business, particularly due to the movement of large, heavy, and fragile items.

We will:

·       Plan delivery routes efficiently to reduce unnecessary mileage, prioritising our own delivery service where practical, as this allows us to group deliveries and reduce the carbon footprint compared with individual third-party fulfilment services.

·       Consolidate deliveries wherever possible, combining customer orders and delivery routes to make each journey as efficient as possible.

·       Use pallet networks, shared freight, or grouped deliveries for isolated deliveries, long-distance orders, or where these options provide a lower-impact solution than a single dedicated delivery.

·       Avoid unnecessary repeat journeys through clear customer communication, careful access checks, and well-planned delivery scheduling.

Review transport partners based on reliability, efficiency, responsible operating practices, and their ability to help us reduce the environmental impact of our deliveries.

Target: From 2026 onwards, we will review delivery efficiency annually, with the aim of reducing avoidable mileage through improved route planning, increased grouped deliveries, and the careful selection of appropriate transport partners.  We aim to achieve this by tracking all fulfillable orders and working closely with customers to combine deliveries.

4. Energy, Water, and Site Operations

We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our showroom, yard, storage, office, and workshop operations.

We will:

• Encourage responsible energy and water use across our premises, demonstrated by our recent investment in solar panels and the installation of an electric vehicle charging point.
• Maintain equipment and vehicles to ensure they operate safely, efficiently, and with reduced unnecessary environmental impact.
• Reduce unnecessary printing and paper use by prioritising digital quotations, invoices, order confirmations, and customer communications wherever practical.
• Review opportunities to improve lighting, heating, insulation, and operational efficiency, including recent improvements such as installing double glazing and replacing a single-glazed conservatory with a more energy-efficient double-glazed alternative.
• Supply energy-efficient pumps with our water features, using high-quality options that support reliable performance while helping to reduce unnecessary energy consumption.

Target: We will review our energy and water use annually and identify at least one operational improvement each year to reduce consumption or improve efficiency.

5. Product Lifespan, Care, and Customer Guidance

We believe that one of the most effective ways to reduce environmental impact is to help customers look after products properly so they last longer.

We will:

• Provide customers with clear care advice for pottery, water features, and related products.
• Support customers with spare parts, repairs, resealing advice, and maintenance guidance where possible.
• Promote products that improve outdoor spaces and encourage planting, biodiversity, and long-term garden enjoyment.

Target: We will continue to improve our publicly available product care information and review key guidance annually. We will support this by keeping our website up to date and ensuring our staff provide clear, consistent advice to help customers care for their products properly and extend their lifespan.

Social Commitments

Sustainability is not only environmental. We are also committed to acting responsibly towards people, suppliers, customers, and the communities connected to our business.

1. Responsible Supply Chains

We work with skilled artisans, suppliers, hauliers, and service providers. We aim to maintain long-term, respectful commercial relationships based on fairness, communication, and mutual trust.

We will:

• Work with suppliers who share our standards for quality, reliability, and responsible business, supported by regular communication with our suppliers and visits to our pottery.
• Support traditional craft and specialist production wherever possible, including encouraging younger generations to learn pottery-making skills and helping to protect this specialist trade for the future.
• Avoid knowingly working with organisations involved in exploitative labour practices, unsafe working conditions, or irresponsible environmental conduct.

2. Team and Workplace

We are committed to providing a respectful, safe, and supportive working environment.

We will:

• Promote fair treatment, equal opportunity, and respect within the workplace.
• Maintain safe working practices, especially around heavy lifting, machinery, deliveries, and yard operations.
• Provide appropriate training, guidance, and supervision.
• Encourage staff involvement in identifying improvements to our environmental and operational practices.

3. Customers and Transparency

We aim to be honest and transparent with customers about our products, lead times, delivery methods, care requirements, and limitations.

We will:

• Provide accurate information about product origin, dimensions, availability, and care.
• Communicate clearly on delivery arrangements and access requirements.
• Resolve issues fairly and professionally.
• Avoid misleading environmental claims and ensure any sustainability statements are accurate and proportionate.

4. As a garden-focused business, we recognise the positive role that gardens, planting, and outdoor spaces can play in wellbeing and biodiversity.

We will:

• Encourage the use of planting, trees, shrubs, herbs, and seasonal displays, while promoting the benefits of connecting with the outdoors and spending time in the garden.
• Promote products that support long-term garden design rather than short-term disposal, treating our pottery as a lasting investment in the garden environment, designed to be enjoyed for a lifetime.
• Consider local partnerships, charitable support, and community initiatives both here in Sussex and in the communities connected to our pottery.
• Support customers in creating outdoor spaces that are attractive, durable, and environmentally beneficial.

Measurable Targets

To ensure our policy leads to practical action, we have set the following targets:

1. Packaging: By the end of 2027, at least 75% of outbound packaging materials should be reused, recyclable, recycled, or responsibly sourced, where product protection allows.
2. Waste: We will review damaged goods, packaging waste, and avoidable disposal annually, with the aim of reducing unnecessary waste year on year.
3. Transport: From 2026 onwards, we will review delivery planning annually and seek to increase grouped deliveries and reduce avoidable mileage.
4. Energy and Water: We will review energy and water use annually and identify at least one improvement each year to reduce consumption or improve operational efficiency.
5. Supplier Responsibility: We will review key suppliers annually and consider sustainability, quality, working practices, and reliability as part of our supplier relationships.
6. Customer Care Information: We will review and improve product care guidance annually to help extend product lifespan and reduce preventable damage or waste.

Governance and Review

Responsibility for this policy sits with the management team at Pots & Pithoi.

This Sustainability Policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant, practical, and aligned with the development of the business. As part of the review, we will assess progress against our targets, identify areas for improvement, and update our commitments where appropriate.

We recognise that sustainability is an ongoing process. Our approach is to make steady, measurable improvements while remaining honest about the challenges of operating a business that imports, stores, and delivers large handmade products.

Policy Statement

Pots & Pithoi is committed to managing its environmental impacts, supporting responsible business practices, and taking positive action to improve sustainability across its operations. We will continue to work with our team, suppliers, customers, and partners to reduce waste, improve efficiency, support responsible sourcing, and promote long-lasting products that enhance gardens and outdoor spaces.