Payment Policy

1) Purpose & Scope

This Policy explains how payments are accepted and processed on RecipeGen, including payment methods, currencies, security practices, and what happens in case of errors, disputes, or refunds. It complements our Terms & Conditions and Refund / Return Policy.

2) What you pay for (Tokens only)

• All payments on RecipeGen are for Tokens (prepaid credits).
• Upon successful payment, Tokens are immediately credited to your account and become available for redemption (e.g., generating AI meal-plan PDFs).
• The exact number of Tokens and the total amount payable are shown on the Top-Up page before you confirm payment.

3) Accepted payment methods

We accept the following, subject to device/issuer and regional availability:

• Visa (credit/debit)
• Mastercard (credit/debit)

We do not accept cash, bank transfers, cheques, or cryptocurrency at this time.

4) Currencies & pricing

• We process transactions in Great British Pounds (GBP, £) and Euros (EUR, €).
• You can select your checkout currency on the Top-Up page.
• If your card/account is in another currency, your issuer may apply its own FX rate and fees.
• The current Token rate (e.g., £/€ → Tokens) is displayed at the time of purchase and may change prospectively. For reference: 100 Tokens ≈ £1.00 in your selected currency.

5) Security & compliance

• Payments are processed via a PCI DSS–compliant payment gateway.
• Card details are encrypted and sent directly to the payment processor; they do not pass through or get stored on our servers.
• All data exchanged with our site uses TLS/HTTPS.
• We support Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)/3-D Secure where required by law or the issuing bank.

6) Authorisations, holds & settlement

• Some issuers place a temporary authorisation (hold) to verify funds. If a payment fails or is reversed, any hold typically drops automatically per your bank’s timelines.
• Tokens are credited only after we receive a successful confirmation from the processor.

7) Payment failures & how to retry

1. Confirm card details, SCA/3-DS prompts, and available funds.
2. Try another supported method (e.g., a different card or Apple/Google Pay).
3. Contact your bank or card issuer to check restrictions.
4. If issues persist, write to info@recipegen.co.uk with your email and time of attempted payment.

8) Fraud checks, account safety & rate limits

• To protect users and our platform, we may apply risk screening, velocity/rate limits, or require additional verification.
• We may delay, decline, or refund a payment, and suspend an account where fraud or abuse is suspected (see also Terms §15).

9) Invoices, VAT & receipts

• A payment confirmation/receipt is generated after a successful Top-Up and is available via email and/or your account.
• VAT/consumption taxes may apply depending on your billing country and applicable rules; where required, we collect and remit.
• Invoices/receipts are issued in the checkout currency (GBP or EUR). For business invoicing needs (e.g., VAT details), contact info@recipegen.co.uk.

10) Refunds & chargebacks (summary)

• Unused Tokens may be refundable under the conditions in our Refund / Return Policy.
• Spent Tokens (already redeemed for successful generations) are non-refundable, except where the content is defective/not as described or as required by law.
• If you initiate a chargeback, we will provide transaction evidence to the payment provider. Repeated/wrongful chargebacks may lead to account suspension.
• Full details, timelines, and examples are in the Refund / Return Policy.

11) Billing descriptor

• Your bank statement will show a descriptor identifying the charge as RecipeGen or our payment partner.
• If you are unsure about a transaction, contact us at info@recipegen.co.uk before raising a dispute—we’ll help verify the charge.

12) Data handling & privacy

• We retain only the information necessary to reconcile payments (e.g., transaction references, status).
• We do not store full card numbers or CVV.
• Please see our Privacy Policy for lawful bases, retention periods, and international transfer safeguards.

13) Promotions, pricing changes & errors

• Promotional pricing or bonus Tokens follow the specific promo terms shown at purchase.
• We may update prices or Token rates prospectively; the rate shown at checkout controls for that transaction.
• In case of a clear pricing or display error, we may cancel or reverse a transaction and will promptly notify you (see Terms §5.1).

14) Subscriptions & recurring payments

• RecipeGen currently operates on one-off Top-Ups (no subscriptions).
• If we later introduce recurring plans, we will provide clear terms and a cancellation mechanism before you opt in.

15) Changes to this Policy

We may amend this Payment Policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced by email and/or a prominent notice on the site. The Effective date above will always reflect the latest version. Changes apply prospectively.

16) Contact