Privacy policy

Last updated 26 October 2026

This policy explains how ProdID-Check handles personal information, in line with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The responsible party for the personal information described here is Hintsa Unlimited (Pty) Ltd, registration number 2021/988541/07, which owns and operates ProdID-Check (“we”).

1. What we collect

• Account details for brand and store staff: name of the organisation, email address, role, and a password that we store only in scrambled (hashed) form.
• Product records: product codes, names, descriptions, photos, and the dates and places they were made, dispatched, received and sold.
• Buyer details entered by a store at the point of sale: the buyer’s name and, optionally, phone or email, recorded only with the buyer’s agreement.
• Ownership history when an owner passes an item on: the new owner’s name and optional contact details.
• Reports that an item is stolen or lost, and any note the brand adds.
• Suspicious-goods reports that anyone can send without an account: the photos, description and place they give, their location if they choose to share it, and a phone number or email only if they choose to add one. We do not ask for a name.
• Technical information such as your network address, used briefly to stop abuse and limit repeated attempts.

2. Why we use it

To run the verification service, to link an item to its owner, to let brands and stores manage stock and sales, to handle stolen and lost reports, to secure the service, and to meet legal duties.

3. Who can see it

• The public sees a product’s name, brand, status and, if sold, the owner’s name in full or masked (such as J*** H***), as the owner chose. Contact details are never shown to the public.
• The store that made a sale and the brand that made the product can see the buyer details recorded for it.
• Our team can access data only as needed to run and support the service.
• We do not sell personal information or use it for advertising. We share it with others only where the law requires, or with service providers who help us run the service and must protect it.

A suspicious-goods report is seen only by the brand it concerns, or by us when the reporter did not know the brand. The brand may use the contact details, if given, to follow up. Location is shared only when the reporter presses the button to add it. A reporter can ask us to delete their report at any time.

4. Consent at the till

A store must tell the buyer that their name is recorded against the product and shown on its public page, and must ask whether the buyer wants it shown in full or masked. It may record it only if the buyer agrees. Giving a phone number or email is optional.

5. Keeping it safe

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures: passwords are hashed, sign-in sessions expire, integration keys are stored only as hashes, access is limited by role, and the service is accessed over an encrypted connection.

6. How long we keep it

Product and ownership records are kept for as long as they are needed to verify the item and to prove its history. Account details are kept while the account is active. You may ask us to correct or delete personal information, and we will do so unless the law or a legitimate need to keep an accurate record requires otherwise.

7. Cookies and browser storage

We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. When you sign in, your browser keeps a temporary sign-in token for that tab, and may remember small preferences such as a label size. These stay on your device.

8. Your rights

Under POPIA you may ask to see the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct or delete it, and object to its use. Email info@prodidcheck.co.za and we will respond. If you are unhappy with how we handle your information, you may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

9. Children

The service is for businesses and adult shoppers. We do not knowingly collect information from children.

10. Changes

We may update this policy and will show the date of the latest update at the top.

11. Contact

Hintsa Unlimited (Pty) Ltd (ProdID-Check). info@prodidcheck.co.za.