OhGrocer
OhGrocer ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect when you use our app, how we use it, and what choices you have.
By using OhGrocer, you agree to the practices described here. If you don't agree, please don't use the app.
Contents
1. What Information We Collect
1.1 Account Information
You can sign in with your Google account or create an account with your email address and a password. If you use Google, we receive:
- Your name and email address (so we know who you are)
- Your Google profile picture (displayed in the app)
If you create an account with email, we receive your email address and your password is handled by Firebase Authentication, which stores it in hashed form — we never see or store your password in readable form. We send you a verification email and, if you ask, a password-reset email.
We store this information securely on our servers so you can access your data across devices.
1.2 Your Grocery Items
You can enter information about your groceries, such as:
- Item names, quantities, and categories
- Purchase dates and expiry dates
- Optional notes or photos
This data is stored on our servers and linked to your account. Photos you take are uploaded to our secure cloud storage.
1.3 Camera and Microphone
- Camera: We use your camera for scanning barcodes, scanning receipts, and taking photos of items. Video is processed live on your device. We don't record or store it unless you choose to save a photo.
- Microphone: We use your microphone for voice input (English and Malay). Your audio is processed by your device and Google's speech service to turn it into text. We don't store the audio.
1.4 Barcode Scanning
When you scan a barcode, the barcode number is sent to a public food database to look up product details. The barcode number doesn't identify you personally.
1.5 Receipt Scanning
If you scan a receipt:
- The image is processed on your device to read the text
- The extracted text is sent to an AI service to identify grocery items and expiry dates
- We don't upload receipt images to our servers. Only the text goes to the AI
1.6 Recipe Suggestions
Recipe suggestions are matched against our own recipe database using the items on your shelf. No AI service is involved and your grocery list is not sent to any third party for this feature. The matching happens against recipes we already store.
1.7 Shared Pantry
If you use shared pantries, you can invite others to view or edit your grocery list. This means:
- The people you invite can see your shared items
- We send notifications to pantry members when items are updated
- You invite members by sharing an invitation code or link through whichever app you choose (messaging, email, and so on). OhGrocer does not read your contacts: we hand the invitation to your device's share sheet and your device decides where it goes
1.8 Usage Data and Crash Reports
We use Google Analytics for Firebase to understand how OhGrocer is used, so we can fix problems and improve the app. It records things such as:
- Which screens and tabs you open
- How you add items (typing, barcode scan, receipt scan or voice) and whether you add your first item
- Whether you swipe, hold or tap on item cards, and whether the on-screen hints helped
- Which features you use, such as scanning, recipe suggestions, shared pantries and the category shortcuts
- Whether you allow or deny a camera, microphone or notification permission (never the content of what you scan, say or receive)
- How long the app takes to start, and subscription and ad events
We also record a few settings so we can see how different groups of people use the app: your app language, light or dark theme, how you signed up (Google or email), your country and currency, a rough range for how many items you have (for example "6–20"), whether you use a shared pantry, whether expiry reminders are on, and whether you have Premium.
What we do not send: the text you type, such as item names you enter yourself, notes, pantry names and category names.
How it is identified: Firebase gives each installation of the app a random identifier so that events from the same phone can be grouped. We do not attach your name, email or account to analytics events. This is pseudonymous data, not anonymous data: it is not directly tied to your identity, but it is tied to your installation. Firebase also collects some device information automatically, such as device model, operating system and app version, and an approximate country derived from your connection, and it may use your device's advertising ID where your device allows it.
You can turn this off at any time under Profile → Preferences → Share usage analytics (see Section 6.3).
We also collect crash reports (device type, app version, and what went wrong) so we can fix bugs. The in-app analytics switch does not cover crash reports; see Section 6.3.
1.9 Advertising
We show ads through Google AdMob. AdMob may collect:
- Your device's advertising ID
- Device type and operating system
- General location (not your exact address)
- How you interact with ads (clicks, views)
You can learn more about Google's advertising practices here. Sharing your advertising ID with AdMob for ads may be considered a "sale" or "share" of personal information under California law. See Section 6.3 for how to opt out.
1.10 Support Messages
When you use Profile → Contact support, we receive your message, the topic you chose, your account email (so we can reply), your user ID, whether you have Premium, your app version and device type, and any screenshots you choose to attach (up to 3; we compress them and remove their location and camera details first). We keep a copy in our database and file storage and email it to our support inbox. Deleting your account removes the database copy and the screenshots; to have the emails in our support inbox deleted too, ask us at support@ohgrocer.com.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information only for these purposes:
- To run the app: sign you in, save your items, sync across devices, manage shared pantries
- To send reminders: notify you when items are about to expire (you control these notifications)
- To send invitations: generate a shared pantry invitation code or link that you pass on yourself through your device's share sheet
- To improve: study usage patterns to fix bugs and make the app better
- To support you: answer your questions and help troubleshoot problems
- To show ads: keep the free version of the app available
We will never sell your personal data. We don't use your grocery data to target ads.
3. Service Providers
We use service providers that process data on our behalf, only for the purposes in Section 2. They fall into these categories:
| Category | What is sent | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud hosting, sign-in and diagnostics (Google Firebase) | Your account details, grocery items, uploaded photos, usage events and crash reports (Section 1.8). | Runs the app: sign-in, storage, sync, notifications, and diagnostics. |
| Email delivery and support inbox | Your email address, the account emails we send you, and support messages you send us (Section 1.10). | Delivers verification and password-reset emails, and lets us answer your support messages. |
| AI text processing (United States) | The text extracted from receipts you scan: the store name, date, line items and prices. We attempt to strip phone numbers and similar identifiers before sending, but this is best-effort and may not catch everything. Receipt images never leave your device. | Identifies grocery items, quantities and dates from the receipt text so you don't have to type them. |
| Product and image lookup | Barcode numbers you scan and item names, which do not identify you. | Fills in product details and finds photos for items. |
| Subscription management | Your user ID and your purchase history. | Manages subscriptions and restores Premium across devices. |
| Advertising (Google AdMob) | Your device's advertising ID, device type and operating system, general location, and how you interact with ads (Section 1.9). | Shows ads in the free version. Your grocery data is never used to target ads. |
If you'd like the names of the specific providers we use, email support@ohgrocer.com.
We never send your name, email, or identity details to any AI service: only the receipt text needed for that specific scan. We do not sell your personal data to anyone.
4. How We Store Your Data
Where: Your data is stored on secure cloud servers. Photos you upload are stored in secure cloud storage. Some data (like your preferences and cached images) is stored locally on your device.
How long: We keep your account data for as long as your account is active. Items you delete are removed from our servers immediately. If you delete your account, your profile, items, photos and shared-pantry memberships are removed straight away; backups age out within 30 days.
Analytics and crash data is kept for up to 14 months (analytics) and 90 days (crash reports).
- In the app (immediate): Profile → Delete Account. This deletes everything at once, automatically.
- On the web: ohgrocer.com/delete-account: submit a request and we process it within 30 days.
- By email: support@ohgrocer.com. We respond within 30 days.
5. When We Share Information
We do not sell your information. We share it only in these situations:
- With services we rely on: as described in Section 3 above (only what's needed for each feature)
- With your shared pantry members: if you choose to invite people to a shared pantry
- If required by law: if a court or government agency asks us to
- To protect our rights: to enforce our Terms & Conditions or keep our users safe
6. Your Rights & Choices
6.1 Manage Your Data
You can view, edit, or delete your grocery items at any time from within the app. You can edit your profile information too.
6.2 Delete Your Account
The fastest route is inside the app: Profile → Delete Account, which removes your profile, items and photos immediately. You can also request deletion at ohgrocer.com/delete-account or by emailing support@ohgrocer.com; we process those requests within 30 days.
6.3 Opt Out of Analytics, Crash Reports and Ad Personalization
Usage analytics: turn off Profile → Preferences → Share usage analytics. This stops Firebase Analytics from collecting usage events from that device. The choice is saved on the device and applies each time the app starts. It is on by default.
Crash reports: the in-app switch does not cover these. To opt out of crash reporting, contact us.
Personalized ads: you can opt out of personalized ads — and the sharing of your advertising ID with AdMob that comes with them — from your device (Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization). Opting out means you'll still see ads, just not ones based on your interests.
Ad consent in the EEA, UK and Switzerland: if you're in one of these regions, OhGrocer asks for your consent through Google's consent form before any ad is requested. You can change your choice at any time in Profile → Preferences → Ad privacy choices.
6.4 Camera & Microphone
You can turn off camera and microphone permissions in your device settings at any time. The app will still work, but you won't be able to scan barcodes/receipts or use voice input.
6.5 Notifications
You can turn expiry reminders on or off from within the app's settings, or through your device's notification settings.
6.6 If You're in Europe or California
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights, including:
- Access: request a copy of your data
- Correction: fix any wrong information
- Deletion: ask us to erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Portability: receive your data in a format you can transfer elsewhere
- Opt out of sale/sharing (California): see Section 6.3
- Object or restrict processing (Europe/UK): for example, to analytics
To exercise any of these rights, email support@ohgrocer.com. We'll respond within the timeframe required by law.
6.7 Our Legal Basis for Processing (EU/UK Users)
If you're in the EU/UK, GDPR requires us to have a legal basis for each way we use your data:
- Contract: account creation, storing your items, syncing across devices, shared pantries
- Consent: camera and microphone access, expiry notifications, personalized ads
- Legitimate interest: usage analytics and crash reporting to keep the app working and improve it (you can switch usage analytics off in the app)
- Legal obligation: responding to lawful requests from authorities
Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time through your device settings or the app's settings, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before you withdrew it.
7. Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your data:
- All communication between the app and our servers is encrypted
- Your data is encrypted when stored on our servers
- Only you can access your account (via your Google login)
- We follow industry best practices for data security
No system is 100% secure, but we work hard to keep your information safe.
8. Children
OhGrocer is not intended for children under 13. We don't knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has given us their data, please contact us and we'll delete it.
9. Changes to This Policy
If we update this policy, we'll change the "Last updated" date above. If the changes are significant, we'll let you know through the app or by email. Your continued use of the app after changes means you accept the updated policy.
10. Contact Us
Questions? Concerns? We're here to help.
- Email: support@ohgrocer.com