Privacy Policy
Important legal information
Please read the following terms and conditions carefully before proceeding. Persons who access the appenzeller.ch website of SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions.
Copyright and trademark rights
The entire content of the appenzeller.ch website is protected by copyright. All rights belong to SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH or third parties. The elements contained on the appenzeller.ch website are freely accessible for browsing purposes only. Duplication of this material, or parts thereof, in any written or electronic form is permitted only with a specific mention and consent of appenzeller.ch. The reproduction, transfer, modification, linking or use of the appenzeller.ch website for public or commercial purposes is prohibited without the prior written consent of SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH.
The various names and logos on the appenzeller.ch website are generally registered, protected trademarks. No component of the appenzeller.ch website is designed in such a way as to grant a license or a right to use an image, a registered trademark or a logo. Downloading or copying the appenzeller.ch website, or parts thereof, confers no rights with regard to software or elements of the appenzeller.ch website. SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH retains all the rights regarding all the elements on the appenzeller.ch website with the exception of rights belonging to third parties.
No warranty
Although SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH has made every effort to safeguard the reliability of the information contained on the appenzeller.ch website at the time of its publication, neither SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH nor its contracting partners can provide any explicit or implicit assurance or warranty (including to third parties) regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information on appenzeller.ch. Opinions and other information contained on the appenzeller.ch website can be amended at any time without prior notice.
SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH assumes no responsibility and provides no guarantee that the functions on the appenzeller.ch website will not be interrupted or that the appenzeller.ch website or the relevant server is free from viruses or other harmful components.
Limitation of liability
Insofar as a contractual relationship exists between SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH and the user of the appenzeller.ch website or another service of SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH, SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH shall only be liable for damage caused wilfully or by gross negligence. SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH excludes any liability for damage caused by an auxiliary person. SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH shall not be liable for any loss of profit, loss of data or other direct, indirect or consequential damage arising from access to the elements of the appenzeller.ch website or from the use thereof or from the impossibility of accessing or using them or from links to other websites or technical faults.
Links to other websites
The appenzeller.ch website contains links to third-party websites that might be of interest to you. When activating such links, you might leave the appenzeller.ch website or summaries of third-party websites may be displayed within the context of the appenzeller.ch website. SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH has not conducted any checks whatsoever of the third-party websites accessible via links on the appenzeller.ch website and is in no way responsible or liable for the content or the functioning of these third-party websites. This applies regardless of whether you leave the appenzeller.ch website when activating a link or the display is within the context of the appenzeller.ch website, and even if in the latter case the information provider of an external website is not immediately obvious. Establishing such a link or consulting third-party websites is exclusively at the risk and peril of the user.
1. An Overview of Data Protection
General information
When collecting, processing, and using your personal data, we comply with the legal provisions of the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP), the Ordinance on the Federal Act on Data Protection (VDS), the Telecommunications Act (FMG) and, where applicable, other data protection regulations, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as the GDPR).
The following information provides a simple overview of what happens with your personal data when you visit this website. The term “personal data” comprises any data with which you can be personally identified. For detailed information about the subject matter of data protection, please consult our Privacy Policy below. It explains what data we collect and how we use this data. It also explains how and for what purpose this is undertaken.
Data collection on this website
Who is responsible for the collection of data on this website?
The data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator:
SO Appenzeller Käse GmbH
Poststrasse 12
P.O. Box 67
9050 Appenzell, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0)71 788 30 40
E-mail: appenzeller@appenzeller.ch
(a limited liability company under the Swiss Code of Obligations (CHE-108.738.162))
How do we collect your data?
Whenever you use this website, a variety of personal data will be collected. On the one hand, we collect your data as a result of you sharing your data with us. This may, for instance be information you enter into our contact form.
Other data will be collected by our IT systems automatically or after you consent to its collection during your website visit. This data comprises primarily technical information (e.g., web browser, operating system, or time the site was accessed). This information is collected automatically when you access this website.
What are the purposes for which we use your data?
Some of the data is used to ensure the proper functioning of the website. Other data may be used to analyse your user behaviour. In addition, we use certain data for the establishment, content arrangement, amendment, and performance of our contractual relationships as well as for marketing purposes and for conducting raffles and sweepstakes.
What rights do you have regarding your data?
You have the right to receive information about the origin (if available), recipients, and processing purposes of your stored personal data at any time. You also have the right to demand the correction or deletion of your data. If you have consented to data processing, you have the option to revoke this consent at any time for the future. Additionally, under certain circumstances, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time if you have any further questions on the subject of data protection.
Analysis tools and third-party tools
Your browsing behaviour on our website may be statistically evaluated, primarily by means of cookies and analysis programs. The analysis of your browsing behaviour is usually anonymous; the browsing behaviour cannot be traced back to you.
You can object to this analysis. This privacy policy will inform you about how to exercise your options in this regard under the title Browser Plugin.
2. General and Mandatory Information
Privacy Policy
The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations as well as this data protection declaration.
When you use this website, various personal data are collected. Personal data comprises any data with which you can be personally identified. This privacy policy explains what data we collect and how we use it. It also explains how and for what purpose this is undertaken.
Please note that data transmitted via the Internet (e.g., via e-mail communication) may be subject to security breaches. Complete protection of your data from third-party access is not possible.
Storage duration
Unless a specific storage period is specified in this Privacy Policy, your personal data will remain with us until the purpose for the data processing no longer applies. If you make a legitimate request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible reasons for storing your personal data (e.g., tax or commercial retention periods); in the latter case, the deletion will occur after these reasons cease to apply.
General information on the legal bases for the data processing on this website
If you have consented to data processing and the transfer of personal data to third countries, we process your personal data on the basis of your respective consent. Furthermore, we process your data if it is required for the performance of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, for the performance of a legal obligation or based on our overriding or legitimate interest. Information on the relevant legal bases in each individual case is provided in the following paragraphs of this Privacy Policy.
Data sharing
For the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, we may share your personal data with third parties, in particular our hosting provider, our analytics tools providers and payment, logistics, shipping and advertising service providers. If we pass on your personal data to these third parties for data processing, we ensure that these third parties do not process the data any further than we are permitted to do ourselves and that these third parties are able to guarantee data security. The data transfer is based on our overriding or legitimate interest in providing and improving the website and our services, on the necessity of processing for the performance of a contract with you or on your consent.
Information on data transfer to the USA and other third countries
Among other things, we use tools of companies domiciled in the United States or other countries, which are not considered to provide an adequate level of data protection from a Swiss perspective. If these tools are active, your personal data may potentially be transferred to these third countries and may be processed there. Please note that in these countries, a data protection level that is comparable to that in Switzerland cannot be guaranteed.
For instance, U.S. enterprises are under a mandate to release personal data to the security agencies, and you as the data subject do not have any legal remedies against that. Hence, it cannot be ruled out that U.S. agencies (e.g., secret and intelligence services) may process, analyse, and permanently store your personal data for surveillance purposes. We have no control over these processing activities.
Revocation of your consent to the processing of data
A wide range of data processing transactions are possible only subject to your express consent. You can also revoke any consent you have already given us at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of any data processing that occurred prior to your revocation.
The right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority
If you are dissatisfied with the processing of your personal data by us, you may contact us or the competent supervisory authority.
The right to data portability
You may under certain circumstances have the right to demand that we hand over any data to you or a third party in a commonly used, machine-readable format. If you should demand the direct transfer of the data to another controller, this will only occur if it is technically feasible.
Encrypted payment transactions on this website
If you are under an obligation to share your payment information (e.g. account number if you give us the authority to debit your bank account) with us after you have entered into a fee-based contract with us, this information is required to process payments.
Payment transactions using common modes of paying (Visa/MasterCard, debit to your bank account) are processed exclusively via encrypted SSL or TLS connections. You can recognise an encrypted connection by checking whether the address line of the browser switches from “http://” to “https://” and also by the appearance of the lock icon in the browser line.
With encrypted communication, the payment data you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.
Information, deletion and correction
You have the right to information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipients and the purpose of the data processing and, if necessary, a right to correction or deletion of this data at any time within the framework of the applicable statutory provisions. You can contact us at any time if you have further questions on the subject of personal data.
Objection to advertising e-mails
We hereby expressly prohibit the use of contact data published as part of our duty to provide a legal notice for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and information material. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited sending of advertising information, such as spam e-mails.
3. Collection of Data on this Website
Cookies
Some of the Internet pages use what are referred to as cookies. Cookies do not damage your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies are used to make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser.
Most of the cookies we use are "session cookies". They are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them. These cookies allow us to recognise your browser the next time you visit.
You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies in certain cases or in general, and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when the browser is closed. If cookies are disabled, then the functionality of this website may be limited.
Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process or to provide specific functions that you have requested (e.g. shopping cart function) are stored based on Art. 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the storage of cookies for the technically error-free and optimised provision of its services. Insofar as other cookies (e.g. cookies to analyse your browsing behaviour) are stored, these are treated separately in this Privacy Policy.
Consent with CookieFirst
Our website uses the consent technology of CookieFirst to obtain your consent for the storage of specific cookies on your device or for the use of certain technologies and for their documentation that complies with data protection.
CookieFirst stores a cookie in your browser in order to be able to assign the consents you have given or to revoke them. The cookie remains active for 1 month. Otherwise, your data will be stored until you request us to delete it, delete the consent cookie yourself or if the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Mandatory statutory retention obligations shall remain unaffected.
CookieFirst is used to obtain the consent required by law for the use of cookies.
Sponsoring form
If you send us inquiries via the sponsoring form, then your details from the inquiry form, including the contact details you provide there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in the event of follow-up questions.
We will not share this data without your consent.
The processing of this data is based either on the necessity of processing the data to fulfil a contract with you, on our overriding or legitimate interest in the efficient processing of the requests submitted to us or upon your consent.
Request by e-mail or telephone
If you contact us by e-mail or telephone, then your inquiry, including all resulting personal data (name, inquiry) will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of handling your inquiry.
We will not share this data without your consent.
The processing of this data is based either on the necessity of the processing for the performance of a contract with you, on our overriding or legitimate interest in processing your inquiry, or upon your consent (if this has been requested).
Opening a customer account at the online shop
You have the option of opening a customer or retailer account at our online shop. We will only use the data you enter to enable you to use the service and for billing purposes. The mandatory information requested during registration must be provided in full. Otherwise, your registration will be rejected.
Sweepstakes
From time to time, you have the opportunity to take part in competitions or sweepstakes on appenzeller.ch. As part of these competitions and sweepstakes, personal data (e-mail address, name, address and any other data required for the competition or sweepstake) may also be collected and stored for the purpose of processing the competition or sweepstake. The personal data that you provide to us will be used exclusively for the purpose of running the competition or sweepstake (e.g. for determining the winner, notifying the winner and handing over the prize). As part of the competition or sweepstake, we shall inform the participants separately about data processing in connection with the specific competition or sweepstake. After the end of our competitions or sweepstakes, the participants' data shall be deleted unless you have explicitly given your separate consent to the use of your personal data for other purposes (e.g. for the delivery of our newsletter).
The legal basis for the processing of your personal data as part of competitions or sweepstakes is your consent in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR.
You can object to this data processing at any time, if there are reasons relating to your particular situation that contradict the data processing.
Server Log Files
The provider of this website automatically collects and stores information in what are known as server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. These are:
- Browser type and browser version
- Operating system used
- Referral URL
- Hostname of the accessing computer
- Time of server request
This data cannot be assigned to specific persons. This data is not combined with other data sources. We reserve the right to check this data retrospectively, if we become aware of concrete indications of unlawful use.
4. Social Media
We are represented on social networks, specifically Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok. We process users’ data by communicating with them or offering them information about us. In general, these social networks use users’ data for marketing and market research purposes over which we have no influence. User data may be processed outside the EEA and Switzerland (e.g. in the US). Please refer to the data protection statements and opt-out options of the respective social networks.
Instagram:
Social network, service provider: Instagram Inc., 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; website: https://www.instagram.com; data protection statement: https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy
YouTube:
Social network, video platform, service provider. Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, parent company: Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Website: https://www.youtube.com/. Information on data protection: https://policies.google.com/privacy
Facebook:
Social network, service provider. Facebook Ireland Ltd., 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland, parent company: Facebook, 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. Website: https://www.facebook.com. Information on data protection: www.facebook.com/policy.php
Linked-In:
Social network, service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy.
TikTok:
Social network; service provider: musical.ly Inc., 10351 Santa Monica Blvd #310, Los Angeles, CA 90025 USA; users in the EEA: TikTok Technology Limited, 10 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin, D02 T380, Ireland; users in the UK: TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited, 6th Floor, One London Wall, London, EC2Y 5EB, United Kingdom; website: https://www.tiktok.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/privacy-policy.
5. Analysis Tools and Advertising
Google Tag Manager
We use the Google Tag Manager. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (Google).
The Google Tag Manager is a tool that allows us to integrate tracking or statistical tools and other technologies on our website. The Google Tag Manager itself does not create any user profiles, does not store cookies, and does not carry out any independent analyses. It only manages and runs the tools integrated via it. However, the Google Tag Manager does collect your IP address (see further information under the title “IP anonymization”), which may also be transferred to Google’s parent company in the United States.
The use of Google Tag Manager is based on our overriding or legitimate interest in the quick and uncomplicated integration and management of various tools on our website. If a corresponding consent has been obtained, then the processing is carried out exclusively on this basis.
Google Analytics
This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google.
Google Analytics enables the website operator to analyse the behaviour of website visitors. To that end, the website operator receives a variety of user data, such as pages that are accessed, time spent on the page, the operating system used and the user’s origin. This data is summarised in a user ID and assigned to the respective end device of the website visitor.
Google Analytics uses technologies that enable the recognition of the user for the purpose of analysing the user behaviour (e.g., cookies or device fingerprinting). The information on website use that is collected by Google is usually transferred to a Google server in the United States and stored there.
The use of this service is based on your consent.
Data transmission to the US is – according to Google – based on the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) of the European Commission.
Details can be found here: https://privacy.google.com/businesses/controllerterms/mccs/.
IP Anonymization
On this website, we have activated the IP anonymization function. As a result, your IP address will be abbreviated by Google within Switzerland, the Member States of the European Union or in other states that have ratified the Agreement on the European Economic Area prior to its transmission to the United States. In this case, the IP address is no longer considered personal data. Only in exceptional cases, the full IP address will be transmitted to one of Google’s servers in the United States and abbreviated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to analyse your use of this website, to generate reports on website activities and to render other services to the operator of this website that are related to the use of the website and the Internet. The IP address transmitted in conjunction with Google Analytics from your browser will not be merged with other data in Google’s possession.
Browser plug-in
You can prevent the collection and processing of your data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available under the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.
For more information about the handling of user data by Google Analytics, please consult Google’s privacy policy at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=en.
Data processing
We have executed a data processing agreement with Google and are implementing the stringent provisions of the Swiss and EU data protection authorities to the fullest extent when using Google Analytics.
6. Newsletter
If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we require an e-mail address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the e-mail address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter. Further data will not be collected or will only be collected on a voluntary basis. We only use this data to send the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.
The data entered in the newsletter registration form is processed exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR). You can revoke your consent to the storage of your data, your e-mail address and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The lawfulness of the data processing operations that have already taken place remains unaffected by the revocation.
The data you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted after you unsubscribe from the newsletter. Data that has been stored by us for other purposes (e.g. e-mail addresses for the member area) remain unaffected by this.
Brevo – Sendinblue GmbH
This website uses Brevo to send newsletters. The provider is Sendinblue GmbH, Köpenicker Strasse 126, 10179 Berlin. Brevo is a service that allows you to organise and analyse the sending of newsletters. The data you enter for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter (e.g. e-mail address) will be stored on the servers of Sendinblue GmbH in Germany or Ireland.
Our newsletters sent with Sendinblue GmbH enable us to analyse the behaviour of newsletter recipients. Among other things, it is possible to analyse how many recipients have opened the newsletter message and how often which link in the newsletter has been clicked.
Data processing is carried out on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time by unsubscribing from the newsletter. The lawfulness of the data processing operations that have already taken place remains unaffected by the revocation.
If you do not want to be analysed by Sendinblue, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. For this purpose, we provide a corresponding link in every newsletter message.
The data you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted from our servers immediately after you unsubscribe from the newsletter. Sendinblue may archive your data for up to 2 years and will delete the data no later than two years after the termination of the contract. Data that has been stored by us for other purposes (e.g., e-mail addresses for the member area) remain unaffected by this.
For more information, please refer to Sendinblue's privacy policy at: https://www.brevo.com/legal/privacypolicy/.
Conclusion of a contract for commissioned data processing
We have concluded a contract for commissioned data processing with Sendinblue and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Sendinblue.
7. Plug-ins and Tools
YouTube
Our website uses plugins from YouTube, which is operated by Google. The operator of the pages is YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA.
When you visit one of our pages equipped with a YouTube plugin, a connection to YouTube's servers is established. In doing so, the YouTube server is informed which of our pages you have visited.
If you are logged in to your YouTube account, you allow YouTube to assign your browsing behaviour directly to your personal profile. You can prevent this by logging out of your YouTube account.
The use of YouTube is in the interest of an appealing presentation of our online offerings. This constitutes a legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6 (1) (f) of the GDPR.
For more information on the handling of user data, please refer to YouTube's privacy policy at: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en&gl=de.
Google Maps
This site uses the map service Google Maps. The provider is Google.
In order to use the functions of Google Maps, it is necessary to store your IP address. This information is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. The provider of this site has no influence on this data transfer. If Google Maps is enabled, Google may use Google Web Fonts for the purpose of consistent font display.
When you access Google Maps, your browser loads the required web fonts into your browser cache in order to display text and fonts correctly.
The use of Google Maps is based on our overriding or legitimate interest in an appealing presentation of our online offers and in making it easy to find the places we have indicated on the website or your consent.
According to Google, the data transfer to the USA is based on the standard contractual clauses of the EU Commission. Details can be found here:
https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/ and https://privacy.google.com/businesses/gdprcontrollerterms/sccs/.
You can find more information about the handling of user data in Google's privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en.
8. eCommerce and Payment Service Providers
Processing of customer and contract data
We collect, process, and use personal customer and contract data for the establishment, content arrangement, modification and performance of our contractual relationships. Personal data related to the use of this website (usage data) will be collected, processed, and used only if this is necessary to enable the user to use our services or for billing purposes.
The collected customer data will be deleted upon completion of the order or termination of the business relationship and upon expiration of any existing statutory retention periods, which shall prevail.
Data transmission upon conclusion of contract for online shops, retailers and shipping of goods
If you order goods from our retailer shop, we will pass on your personal data to the transport company responsible for delivery and to the payment service provider responsible for processing payments (see below). Only the data required by the respective service provider to fulfil its task will be disclosed. The legal basis for data processing is the fulfilment of a contract with you. We will provide your e-mail address to the transport company entrusted with the delivery so that it can inform you by e-mail about the dispatch status of your order. The transport companies will only store your personal data for as long as is necessary for the provision of their services and/or to comply with statutory retention periods.
Payment services
We integrate payment services of third-party companies on our website (e.g. payment via MasterCard, Visa, Twint, invoice). When you make a purchase from us, your payment data (e.g. name, payment amount, bank account details, credit card number) are processed by the payment service provider for the purpose of payment processing. For these transactions, the respective contractual and data protection provisions of the respective providers apply. The basis for the processing of data is the performance of a contract and our overriding or legitimate interest in a smooth, convenient, and secure payment transaction or in individual cases your consent.
9. Application for Employment
Handling of applicant data
We attach great importance to the protection of your personal data as part of the application process. In the following, we inform you about how we collect, use and protect your application data.
Scope and purpose of data collection
The application data collected includes personal information such as name, address, contact and communication data, professional qualifications, application documents and interview notes.
Your application data will only be used for the purpose of making a decision regarding the possible establishment of an employment relationship. The legal basis for this arises either from the necessity in connection with the conclusion of a contract (employment relationship) or, in individual cases, from your explicit consent.
Data Security and Sharing
We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your application data from unauthorised access, loss or misuse. Access to your data is limited to those persons who are directly involved in the application process.
Within our company, your application data will only be passed on to persons who are involved in the processing of your application.
Retention period
Your application data will only be retained for as long as is necessary for the application process. Once the process is complete, your data will be securely erased.
10. Changes
We may amend this Privacy Policy at any time without notice. The current version published on our website applies. To the extent that the Privacy Policy is part of an agreement with you, we will notify you of the change via e-mail or other appropriate means in the event of an update.
Last updated: 14-12-2023