Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Privacy

SeePantry is built on a principle of privacy by design. Your food data belongs to you, not to advertisers, data brokers, or anyone else.

What this means in practice:

• We collect only what we need to make the app work
• We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information
• Photos you scan are processed for item extraction and never stored on our servers
• You can export or permanently delete all your data at any time
• AI features run with the minimum data necessary and results are not used to train third-party models

Every feature we build starts with the question: "How do we do this while keeping user data as private as possible?"

Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information when you use SeePantry:

• Account information: email address, display name, and profile photo
• Kitchen data: food items, quantities, expiration dates, categories, and storage locations you enter
• Shopping lists and meal plans you create
• Usage data: app interactions, feature usage, and scan counts
• Device information: device type, operating system, app version, unique device identifiers (for push notifications and analytics), and device locale (used for regional features such as date format detection in receipt scanning)
• Photos: receipt images, fridge photos, and recipe photos you choose to scan (processed for item extraction, not stored long-term)
• Cook Mode narration: when you use hands-free Cook Mode (Pro), the text of each recipe step is sent to Google Cloud Text-to-Speech for voice synthesis. This text is not stored beyond synthesis.
• Purchase information: subscription status and billing history (managed by Apple/Google through RevenueCat)
• Notification engagement: whether you tap or dismiss push notifications (used to adapt notification frequency, stored locally on your device)
• Activity streaks: a count of consecutive days you interact with the app and total items saved (stored locally on your device)

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Contract performance: Processing necessary to provide the Service you signed up for, account management, data synchronisation, kitchen tracking, and subscription billing.
• Consent: Processing that requires your explicit opt-in: push notifications, preferred store searches, and optional AI-powered features such as receipt scanning and fridge photo analysis.
• Legitimate interests: Processing for purposes that are reasonable and expected, improving app performance, preventing fraud, responding to support requests, and sending service-related communications. We balance these interests against your privacy rights.
• Legal obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable laws, tax records, responding to lawful data requests from authorities.

You may withdraw consent at any time through the App's settings or by contacting us. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing performed before withdrawal.

How We Use Your Information

In line with our privacy-by-design approach, we only use your information to deliver and improve the service you signed up for:

• Provide and maintain the App's core functionality
• Process scanned receipts, fridge photos, and barcodes using AI to identify food items
• Generate expiration date estimates and restock predictions
• Provide recipe suggestions based on your kitchen
• Provide Cook Mode hands-free narration via Google Cloud Text-to-Speech (Pro users only)
• Fetch recipe images from Spoonacular to display alongside recipe content
• Synchronise your data across devices
• Send expiration alerts and other notifications you've enabled
• Adapt notification frequency based on your engagement to avoid notification fatigue
• Track activity streaks to encourage consistent food waste reduction habits
• Process subscription payments through Apple/Google
• Improve the App's features and user experience
• Respond to support requests

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes. Your data is never used to build advertising profiles or sold to data brokers.

AI-Powered Features

SeePantry uses Google's Gemini AI to power several features. Understanding what data is sent and how it is handled:

Data sent to Gemini AI:

• Receipt scanning: photos of receipts are sent as images for text extraction
• Fridge photo scanning: photos of your fridge/pantry are sent for food item identification
• Recipe import: URLs, text, or photos are sent for recipe extraction
• Food classification: item names are sent for category prediction
• Price estimation: item names and categories are sent for price prediction
• Restock predictions: item names, categories, and usage history summaries are sent

How Gemini handles your data:

• SeePantry uses the Gemini API (not the consumer product), which operates under Google's Cloud Data Processing terms
• Data sent via the API is not used to train or improve Google's models
• Google may temporarily process data in memory but does not retain API inputs or outputs
• For full details, see Google's Gemini API Terms of Service and Data Processing terms

All AI results are cached locally on your device for performance. AI features do not require you to share more data than is necessary for the specific feature. AI-powered scans (receipt and fridge photo) count toward your monthly scan limit on the Free tier.

Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored securely using industry-standard encryption and security practices:

• Data is stored in Google Cloud (Firebase) with encryption at rest and in transit
• Authentication is handled through Firebase Authentication with support for email/password, Google, and Apple sign-in, we never store your password directly
• Access to your data is restricted to your authenticated account
• We use secure HTTPS connections for all data transmission
• Family-shared data is only accessible to members of your family group
• Subscription purchase data is processed by RevenueCat and Apple/Google, we do not store payment card details

While we take reasonable measures to protect your data, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure.

Third-Party Services

SeePantry uses the following third-party services to provide its features. We only share the minimum data necessary for each service to function.

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, cloud functions, and file storage. Data may be processed in Google Cloud data centers in the United States.
• Gemini AI (Google): Receipt parsing, food recognition, recipe import, food classification, price estimation, and restock predictions. See "AI-Powered Features" above.
• Google Cloud Text-to-Speech: Cook Mode hands-free narration (Pro users only). Receives the text of recipe steps for Neural2 voice synthesis; text is not stored beyond synthesis.
• Spoonacular: Recipe image lookup. Receives recipe name as a search query. No personal or kitchen data is sent.
• FatSecret Platform API: Some recipe content and nutritional information is Powered by FatSecret. Item names may be sent as search queries. Recipes also come from TheMealDB and user imports.
• Open Food Facts: Barcode lookup and product information (open-source database). Barcode numbers are sent as queries.
• RevenueCat: Subscription management and in-app purchase processing. Receives your anonymous user ID, device platform, and purchase receipts from Apple/Google.
• Sentry: Error monitoring and crash reporting. Receives anonymised error logs and device metadata. Does not receive kitchen data or personal data.
• Firebase Analytics (Google): Anonymised product usage events (e.g., feature activation, subscription start). Collection can be disabled in Settings → Privacy. Does not receive kitchen data or item names.
• Expo: App framework, push notifications, and over-the-air updates. Receives push notification tokens and device type.
• Preferred Store Search (Pro/Family): When you use the "Buy at Store" feature, item names from your shopping list are sent as search queries to your selected store's website (e.g., Walmart, Costco, Kroger). The search opens in an in-app browser that shares cookies with your device's default browser, if you are logged into the store's website, they may associate these searches with your account. A one-time consent prompt is shown before your first store search. You can change or remove your preferred store at any time in Settings.

Each third-party service has its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them.

Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active:

• Account and kitchen data: retained until you delete your account
• Scanned photos: processed in memory for item extraction and not stored on our servers
• Imported CSV files: temporarily stored in Firebase Storage for processing and automatically deleted within 72 hours
• Usage analytics: retained in aggregated, anonymised form
• Push notification tokens: cleared when you sign out or delete your account
• AI classification cache: stored locally on your device for up to 90 days
• Error/crash logs (Sentry): retained for 90 days in anonymised form
• Product analytics events (Firebase Analytics): retained in aggregated, anonymised form for up to 14 months (Google's default retention period)
• Notification engagement and streak data: stored locally on your device in encrypted storage; cleared when you sign out or delete the app

When you delete your account, all associated personal data is permanently removed from our systems within 30 days.

Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your data:

• Access: You can view all data stored in your account through the App
• Export / Portability: You can export all your kitchen data, shopping lists, and settings at any time from Settings > Manage Data > Export. Data can be exported in CSV or JSON format.
• Correction: You can edit any item or personal information directly within the App
• Deletion: You can permanently delete your account and all associated data from Settings > Delete Account
• Restriction: You can request that we limit how we process your data
• Objection: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw consent: You can withdraw consent for optional features (e.g., push notifications, AI scanning) at any time through Settings. You can also opt out of product analytics (Tier 2) via Settings → Privacy → "Help improve SeePantry."

For EEA/UK residents: You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

To exercise any of these rights or if you have questions, contact us at privacy@seepantry.com. We will respond within 30 days (or sooner where required by law).

California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know: You may request, up to twice per 12-month period, that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the business purposes, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
• Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your personal information. You can do this directly in the App via Settings > Delete Account, or by emailing privacy@seepantry.com.
• Right to Correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Right to Opt Out of Sale/Sharing: SeePantry does not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising. No opt-out is necessary because no sale or sharing occurs.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA/CPRA rights.

To submit a verifiable consumer request, email privacy@seepantry.com. We will verify your identity before processing the request and respond within 45 days.

Shared Content

SeePantry allows you to share shopping lists via a unique link. When you share a list:

• A snapshot of the list (item names, quantities, and categories) is stored in our database and accessible via a unique, unguessable URL (UUID v4)
• You can set a link expiry when sharing: 1 hour, 24 hours, 3 days, or no expiry. After the expiry time, the link automatically becomes inaccessible.
• Anyone who has the link can view the list contents: no account or authentication is required to view a shared list
• Shared lists do not include your name, email, or any personal account information unless you choose to include your display name
• You can revoke a shared link at any time, which immediately makes it inaccessible
• Shared list data is retained until the link expires, you revoke it, or you delete your account

Treat shared list links like passwords, only share them with people you trust.

Family Sharing

If you use the Family plan, the following data is shared with members of your family group:

• Kitchen items (names, quantities, expiration dates, categories)
• Shopping list items
• Family group member names and email addresses

By joining a family group, you consent to sharing this data with all current and future members of the group. Personal account settings, subscription details, and individual usage statistics are not shared.

The family group owner can remove members at any time, which immediately revokes their access to shared data. If you leave a family group, your access to shared data is revoked immediately but items you previously added remain in the shared kitchen.

International Data Transfers

SeePantry is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the App from outside the United States, please be aware that your data may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

For users in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland: We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission as a legal mechanism for data transfers to countries without an adequate level of data protection. Google Cloud (Firebase) and other service providers we use maintain appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other jurisdictions as described in this policy.

Analytics and Tracking

SeePantry uses two tiers of analytics, each with different handling:

Tier 1, Reliability (always enabled): Sentry collects anonymised crash reports, error logs, and performance data (e.g., barcode scan latency) to help us identify and fix bugs. This tier cannot be disabled because it is essential for a safe, stable app. Sentry receives only a randomised user ID, never your kitchen data, item names, or any personal information.

Tier 2, Product analytics (optional, on by default): Firebase Analytics collects a small set of anonymised feature-usage events, for example, whether you completed onboarding, scanned a barcode, or started a subscription. This helps us understand which features are valuable and which need improvement. Event payloads contain only outcome codes (e.g., "scan_success: true"), never item names, quantities, or any content from your kitchen.

You can opt out of Tier 2 at any time in Settings → Privacy → "Help improve SeePantry." Opting out stops collection immediately, we do not collect and suppress; collection actually stops on your device.

We do not use advertising trackers, third-party cookies, or cross-app tracking. We do not build advertising profiles. We do not respond to "Do Not Track" browser signals because we do not track users across third-party websites; however, our practices are consistent with the intent of DNT, we do not engage in cross-site tracking.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information:

• We will notify affected users via email within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach
• We will notify relevant supervisory authorities as required by applicable law (e.g., within 72 hours under GDPR)
• Notifications will include: the nature of the breach, the types of data affected, the likely consequences, and the measures we have taken or propose to take

We maintain security incident response procedures and regularly review our security practices to minimise the risk of breaches.

Children's Privacy

SeePantry is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the EEA). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these ages.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@seepantry.com and we will promptly delete such information.

Family plan members must be at least 13 years of age (or 16 in the EEA).

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new policy within the App
• Updating the "Last updated" date at the top
• Sending an in-app notification or email for significant changes

Your continued use of the App after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Previous versions of this policy are available upon request.

Trademark Disclaimer

All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

• "Walmart" is a trademark of Walmart Inc.
• "Costco" is a trademark of Costco Wholesale Corporation.
• "Kroger" is a trademark of The Kroger Co.
• "Target" is a trademark of Target Brands, Inc.
• "H-E-B" is a trademark of H-E-B, LP.
• "Publix" is a trademark of Publix Super Markets, Inc.
• "Aldi" is a trademark of ALDI Inc.
• "Whole Foods Market" is a trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc.
• "Trader Joe's" is a trademark of Trader Joe's Company.
• "Sam's Club" is a trademark of Walmart Inc.
• "Safeway" is a trademark of Albertsons Companies, Inc.
• "Meijer" is a trademark of Meijer, Inc.
• "WinCo Foods" is a trademark of WinCo Foods, LLC.
• "Food Lion" is a trademark of Ahold Delhaize.
• "Sprouts Farmers Market" is a trademark of Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.

This app provides a convenience search feature only and is not an official partner of the aforementioned retailers.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@seepantry.com
• Website: seepantry.com/privacy

For EEA/UK data protection enquiries, you may also contact your local supervisory authority.

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 5 business days.