Last updated: May 6, 2026
This policy explains what data Empty Basket ("the app") collects, how it's used, and how you can remove it. Empty Basket is developed by Empty Studios. For questions, contact privacy@emptystudios.online.
When you sign in and use Empty Basket, the following data is created and stored: your email address (provided by Sign in with Apple — may be a private relay address), your display name (provided by Sign in with Apple on first sign-in), and a random user ID issued by Firebase Authentication. We also store a Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token used only to deliver push notifications to your device, the pantry items and shopping lists you create (name, brand, category, stores, tags, notes, in-stock status), your custom category sort order, and the household you belong to and the names of other members in that household. We do NOT collect: your location, contacts, photos, health data, advertising identifiers, browsing history, analytics events, or crash reports. The app does not track you across other apps or websites.
Your data is used solely to provide the app's functionality: to sign you in and keep you signed in, to sync your pantry and shopping lists across your devices, to share your pantry and shopping lists with the other members of your household, and to deliver push notifications about household activity (new shopping lists, items checked off, etc.). We do not sell your data. We do not use it for advertising. We do not use it to train AI models.
App data is stored in Google Firebase (Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore, and Firebase Cloud Messaging), operated by Google LLC. Firebase acts as a data processor on our behalf. Data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure in the United States. For details on Google's privacy practices, see Google's Privacy Policy and Firebase Privacy & Security. We do not share your data with any other third parties.
Some features run entirely on your device and do not send data anywhere: category and sub-category suggestions when adding a pantry item (uses Apple's on-device Foundation Models framework on iOS 26+ devices with Apple Intelligence enabled), and duplicate-item detection when saving a pantry item. Apple's on-device models do not transmit your input off the device.
Empty Basket lets you share a household with other users via an invite code. Anyone who is a member of your household can see and modify the shared pantry items, shopping lists, and the names of other members. This is an intentional feature of the app — please only invite people you trust. You can leave a household at any time, and the household creator can remove members at any time. Your personal pre-household data is preserved when you join another household and is restored if you leave.
In-app deletion: You can delete pantry items, shopping lists, and clear your entire pantry at any time from within the app. Account and data deletion: To delete your account and all associated data, open the app's Settings screen and use "Delete Account." This permanently removes your user record, your household (if you are the only member), your pantry items, your shopping lists, and your FCM token. This action cannot be undone. If you sign out without deleting, your data remains in Firestore until you sign back in or until you request deletion. Google Firebase may retain backup copies and operational logs for a limited period as part of its standard service operation; these are not accessible to us. If you cannot access the app and need your data deleted, email privacy@emptystudios.online from the address associated with your account and we will delete it manually.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, export, or delete the personal data we hold about you (for example under the GDPR in the EU/UK or the CCPA in California). To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@emptystudios.online. We will respond within 30 days.
Data in transit between the app and Firebase is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS. Data at rest in Firestore is encrypted by Google. Sign-in is handled by Apple and Firebase Authentication; we never see or store your Apple ID password. No system is perfectly secure. If we become aware of a breach affecting your data, we will notify affected users by email.
Empty Basket is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
If we change this policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top and, for material changes, notify users in the app on next launch.
Questions, requests, or concerns: Empty Studios — privacy@emptystudios.online.