Ben & Jerry’s Privacy Policy
When it comes to your favorite ice cream flavors, we know you’re ready to tell everyone who’ll listen about those euphoric chunks and swirls. But your personal information? That’s a different story. We love that you trust us with your desserts, and we really love that you trust us with the personal stuff. Read on for the doughy details on what we do — and don’t do — with your personal info.
BEN & JERRY’S THREE SWEET PRIVACY PRINCIPLES
We take your privacy as seriously as we take dough chunks and caramel swirls! These 3 principles guide our treatment of your personal information
1. We appreciate that you like us enough to trust us with your personal info.
2. We want to be totally honest with you about what info we collect, what we do with it, and who we share it with.
3. We promise to do our best to keep your details safe and secure.
BEN & JERRY’S PRIVACY POLICY – YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
Last Updated: January 17, 2023
SCOPE
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how the Ben & Jerry’s in the United States ("Ben & Jerry’s," "we," "us", or “our”) collect, use, share and otherwise process personal information in connection with our websites which link to or display this Policy, by phone or anywhere else where we display this Policy (collectively, the “Site”).
When we use the term “personal information” in this Policy, we mean information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, to you. It does not include aggregated, deidentified, or anonymized information that is maintained in a form that is not reasonably capable of being associated with or linked to you.
FOR EVERYBODY: If you’re browsing our website, this info is for you! No matter what you’re up to, this is how we collect and use your personal information while you’re here.
We or our service providers at our direction may collect the following types of information.
We collect this personal information either: Directly From You; Automatically (when you use our Site); From Third Parties (such as business partners, social media sites, third party sites, family, and friends); and Combining Personal Information with information collected offline, from different devices, or from third parties. We may also collect personal information about you over time and across different websites, apps, and devices when you use our Site, using tracking technologies such as cookies, pixels, Flash objects, APIs and mobile software development kits (SDKs) and we may use third party services to collect this personal information when you use our Site. For more information about our use of automatic tracking technologies, please refer to the section called “Online Advertising and Third Party Tracking” below.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
- To Provide Products and Services - This could include fulfilling your requests for products or services.
- To Improve Products - We may use your personal information to make our Site, products, and services better. We may also use your personal information to customize your experience with us.
- To Communicate with You – If you Contact Us at https://www.benjerry.com/about-us/contact-us, then we may reach out and communicate with you regarding your queries.
- To Understand Interests - We may use your personal information to better understand what products interest you.
- To Determine Eligibility - We may use your personal information to verify your identity or determine your eligibility for some of our products, services, and promotions. For example, this may include verifying your age, date of birth, and state of residence.
- For Marketing Purposes - We may provide you with information about new products and special offers. We might use your personal information to serve you ads about products and offers. We might tell you about new features or updates. These might be third-party offers or products we think you might find interesting. We may also use your personal information to send you electronic communications, including through email or text message.
- For Interest-based Advertising - We and our third-party partners may engage in interest-based advertising using personal information gathered across multiple websites, devices, or other platforms to serve you relevant advertising on our Site or from other sites, services, and mobile applications or on other devices you may use. For more information about your choices related to these communications, see the “Online Advertising and Third-Party Tracking” section below.
- For Security Purposes - This could include protecting our company and consumers who use our products and services. It may also include protecting our Site.
- Otherwise Permitted by Law or as we may notify you
HOW WE SHARE AND USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
- On our Site - For example, we may display personal information you post on our Ratings & Reviews feature. We may also display personal information you submit in connection with a promotion.
- With our Service Providers - We may share your personal information with third parties who perform services on our behalf. For example, this may include merchandise vendors and payment processors. It may also include companies that send emails on our behalf or help us run our Site.
- With our Business Partners - For example, this may include a third party that co-sponsors a contest or promotion. We may also share personal information with data aggregators, advertisers, media buying agencies, advertising networks, and advertising service providers.
- 3rd Party for Marketing Purposes - This may include third parties whose products or services we believe may be of interest to you. These third parties may also share your personal information with others. These third parties may use your personal information for their own marketing purposes or the marketing purposes of others. This may include the delivery of interest-based advertising.
- Comply with Law - For example, this could include responding to a court order or subpoena. It could also include sharing personal information if a government agency or investigatory body requests. We might share personal information when we are investigating potential fraud. This could include fraud we think has occurred during a sweepstake or promotion. We may also share information if you are the winner of a sweepstake or other contest with anyone who requests a winner’s list.
SIGNING UP FOR UPDATES: Want to keep in touch? Here’s how we’ll collect and use your information if you sign up for our email newsletter, text updates, or become a Flavor Fanatic.
TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECTED AND HOW WE COLLECTED IT
We collect the types of data listed in the Type of Information We Collected and How We Collected it subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section.
We may also obtain collect information in the following ways:
- Companies That Provide PII - Companies that provide personal information to supplement what we already know about you, including data aggregators. Certain third parties might link your name or email address to other information they have collected. That might include past purchases made offline or online. It might also include online usage information.
- Combine Personal Info via Device - Combine personal information we collect about you from the different devices you use to access our Site.
- Combine Personal Info via Site (online) - Combine personal information we get from third parties with personal information we already have about you.
- Social Media Sites - Social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Instagram. The information we receive from these social media sites is dependent upon the social media site’s policies and your settings on that site.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use your personal information:
- For all the purposes listed in the How We Use Your Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section
- Communicate Directly - We may communicate with you about your account or our relationship. We may also contact you about this Policy or our Site terms and conditions. If you sign up for Flavor Fanatics, we may also collect your birthday (day and month) to send your birthday rewards.
HOW WE SHARE AND USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
- For all the purposes listed in the How We Share and Use Your Personal Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section
TAKING A VALUES-LED ACTION: We love to see our fans take action for justice! If you sign a petition, fill out an activism form, or use a form to send an email, this is how we’ll collect and use your information.
TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECTED AND HOW WE COLLECTED IT
We collect the types of data listed in the Type of Information We Collected and How We Collected it subsection of the ‘For Everybody; section. If you sign a petition or take an activism action, we may also collect information about the petition you participated in or the activism action you took.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use your personal information:
- For all the purposes listed in the How We Use Your Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody; section
- To Communicate with You, including via SMS - If you sign up to participate in activism, then we may send you text messages in accordance with your preferences.
HOW WE SHARE AND USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
- For all the purposes listed in the How We Share and Use Your Personal Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section
ORDERING CAKES OR CATERING: Lucky you, you’re ordering an ice cream cake or booking a catering event! Here’s how we’ll collect and use your personal information when you fill out a cake order form or request a catering quote.
TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECTED AND HOW WE COLLECTED IT
We collect the types of data listed in the Type of Information We Collected and How We Collected it subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section. We or our service providers may also collect:
- Payment Info - For example, we may collect your credit card number and billing address.
- Shopping History - For example, we may collect personal information about the items you viewed, added to your cart, purchased, or returned.
We may also obtain collect information in the following ways:
- Companies That Provide PII - Companies that provide personal information to supplement what we already know about you, including data aggregators. Certain third parties might link your name or email address to other information they have collected. That might include past purchases made offline or online. It might also include online usage information.
- Combine Personal Info via Device - Combine personal information we collect about you from the different devices you use to access our Site.
- Combine Personal Info via Site (online) - Combine personal information we get from third parties with personal information we already have about you.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use your personal information:
- For all the purposes listed in the How We Use Your Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section
- Communicate Directly - We may communicate with you about your account or our relationship. We may also contact you about this Policy or our Site terms and conditions.
HOW WE SHARE AND USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
For all the purposes listed in the How We Share and Use Your Personal Information subsection of the ‘For Everybody’ section
LOOKING FOR BEN & JERRY’S NEAR YOU: Looking for Half Baked or other euphoric chunks and swirls we're known for in a freezer near you or at an online retailer? Here’s how we’ll collect and use your information while you search for the good stuff.
TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECTED AND HOW WE COLLECTED IT
We or our service providers may collect:
- Device Information - We may collect the type of device you use to access our Site. For example, we may also collect your device identifier, IP address, or mobile operating system. If you “enable your location” on your browser, then your browser may use your IP address to help you locate products or Scoop Shops near you.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use your personal information:
- For Marketing Purposes - We may provide you with information about new products and special offers. We might use your personal information to serve you ads about products and offers. We might tell you about new features or updates. These might be third-party offers or products we think you might find interesting. We may also use your personal information to send you electronic communications, including through email.
- For Interest-based Advertising - We and our third-party partners may engage in interest-based advertising using personal information gathered across multiple websites, devices, or other platforms to serve you relevant advertising on our Site or on other sites, services, and mobile applications or on other devices you may use. For more information about your choices related to these communications, see the “Online Advertising and Third-Party Tracking” section below.
HOW WE SHARE AND USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
For all the purposes listed in the How We Share and Use Your Personal Information subsection of the ‘All Website Users’ section.
Cookies & Tracking Tech - We automatically collect certain types of usage and device information when you visit our Site, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us. We typically collect this information using cookies (a small text file sent from a website and stored on your device), web beacons or pixels, and similar tracking technologies, and we may utilize third-party services to collect this information. These tracking technologies may collect information about your device and its software, such as your IP address, browser type, device type, date and time stamp, unique device ID, and about the way you engage with our Site, for example, the site from which you came and the site to which you are going when you leave our website, the pages you visit, how frequently you access our Site, whether you open emails or click the links contained in emails, whether you access the Site from multiple devices, the products you view and click on, and similar actions you take.
We use this information collected through tracking technologies to provide custom, personalized content and information, including targeted content and advertising, recognize you across multiple devices, and monitor aggregate usage metrics such as total number of visitors, traffic, usage, and demographic patterns of our visitors, and otherwise enhance our Site and your user experience.
Controlling cookies or other tracking technologies - Your browser may give you the ability to control cookies or other tracking technologies, or to reject browser cookies. To control flash cookies, which we may use on certain websites from time to time, you can go here. Why? Because flash cookies cannot be controlled through your browser settings.
If you block cookies, certain features on our Site may not work. Depending on your mobile device and operating system, you may not be able to delete or block all cookies and you may not be able to block non-cookie technologies (such as flash cookies), and these browser settings that block cookies may have no effect on such techniques. In addition, options you select relating to cookies and other tracking technologies are browser and device-specific. You must exercise these choices on each browser and device you use.
Interest-based Advertising - We engage in interest-based advertising to deliver online advertising that may be more relevant to your interests. We permit third-party online advertising networks, social media companies, and other third-party services to collect information about your use of our websites and Site over time so that they may play or display ads on our Site, on other websites, apps, or services you may use, and on other devices, you may use. Typically, though not always, the information used for interest-based advertising is collected through cookies or similar tracking technologies. We may share a common account identifier (such as an email address or user ID) or hashed data with our third-party advertising partners to help identify you across devices or serve you ads on social media sites you may use. We and our third-party partners use this information to make the advertisements you see online more relevant to your interests, as well as to provide advertising-related services such as reporting, attribution, analytics, and market research.
To opt-out of or learn more about interest-based advertising and how you may be able to control the use of your personal information for interest-based advertising purposes, visit the bottom of our homepage that links to this Policy. Look for “AdChoices – Do Not Sell or Share” at the bottom of any Unilever brand homepage. This will take you to a tool which will allow you to opt out of certain online advertising and tracking activities.
Some advertising opt-outs may not be effective unless your browser is set to accept cookies. Furthermore, the options you select relating to interest-based advertising are browser and device specific. If you use a different device, change browsers, or visit a different Unilever brand website or delete the opt-out cookies, you may need to perform the opt-out task again.
GA & Advertising - We use Google Analytics to better understand how our users interact with our Site. For information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, as well as how you can control information sent to Google, review Google's site “How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps” located at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/. You can learn about Google Analytics' currently available opt-outs, including the Google Analytics Browser Ad-On here https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/. We may also utilize certain forms of display advertising and other advanced features through Google Analytics, such as Remarketing with Google Analytics, Google Display Network Impression Reporting, the DoubleClick Campaign Manager Integration, and Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting. These features enable us to use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the Doubleclick advertising cookie) or other third-party cookies together to inform, optimize, and display ads based on your past visits to the Service. You may control your advertising preferences or opt-out of certain Google advertising products by visiting the Google Ads Preferences Manager, currently available at https://google.com/ads/preferences, or by visiting NAI’s online resources at http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices.
Our Do Not Track Policy - Some browsers have “do not track” features that allow you to tell a website not to track you. These features are not all uniform. While we continue to evaluate this evolving technology, we do not currently respond to those signals. However, you can opt-out of such tracking directly on our Site by following the steps noted in the Interest-Based Advertising section above. If you have questions, please contact us via one of the methods listed in the “How to Contact Unilever” section at the end of this Policy. If you block or reject cookies, not all of the tracking described here will stop and some features of our Site may not be available. Options you select are browser and device specific.
- Marketing Communications - You can opt-out of receiving our marketing communications. Note that you will still receive non-marketing or transactional messages from us, including messages about your account and responses to your inquiries. To opt-out of receiving our marketing communications, you can (for promotional emails or text messages), follow the instructions included with the marketing communication or contact us as follows:
CONTACT BEN & JERRY’S:
Ben & Jerry’s
530 Community Dr
S. Burlington, VT 05403
Attn: Consumer Affairs
800-625-9932
product.contactus@benjerry.com - State-Specific Disclosures – Please refer to “State-Specific Disclosures” section below for more information.
- Online Advertising – Please refer to “Online Advertising and Third-Party Tracking” for more information
- California. If you are a California resident, please click here for additional California-specific privacy disclosures. Any references in the California specific disclosures to “Privacy Policy” refer to this Policy.
- Virginia. If you are a Virginia resident, please click here for additional Virginia-specific privacy disclosures. Any references in the Virginia specific disclosures to “Privacy Policy” refer to this Policy.
- Nevada. Chapter 603A of the Nevada Revised Statutes permits a Nevada resident to opt-out of future sales of certain covered information that a website operator has collected or will collect about the resident. To submit such a request, please contact us at privacy.policy@unilever.com with the subject line “Nevada opt-out”.
- Like all businesses, we cannot guarantee the security of the personal information you provide to us via the Site. We have, however, taken certain steps designed to reduce the risk that the personal information you provide us will be subject to loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. We encourage you to use caution when using the Internet. A user id and a password are needed to access certain areas of the Site. It is your responsibility to protect your username and password.
- We do not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 16 through our Site. In the event that we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under age 16, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that we might have collected personal information from a child under 16, please contact us at privacy.policy@unilever.com.
- Our Site may contain links to other third-party sites, plug-ins, applications, or other online services. If you click on a link to a third-party site or other online services, you will be taken to a site or other online service we do not control and that is not governed by this Policy. We are not responsible for the privacy practices used by third-party sites and other online services. We suggest that you read the privacy policies of those sites and other online services carefully.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns with respect to our privacy practices or this Policy, or wish to update your information, please feel free to contact us at privacy.policy@unilever.com or by telephone at 1-800-298-5018 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM Eastern). You may also write to us at the following address:
Unilever
Attn: Consumer Engagement Center
700 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Re: Ben & Jerry’s Privacy Policy