Terms of Use

1. Platform Role and Facilitator Status

materiq operates as a UK-only B2B facilitator platform. materiq is not a seller of record, merchant, agent, or contracting party for any physical goods transacted between users. materiq facilitates introductions, sourcing workflows, and structured procurement processes between approved UK food businesses. All contracts for the sale of physical goods are entered into directly between the buyer and supplier. materiq has no liability for the quality, legality, fitness, safety, storage, transport, or suitability of any materials listed, offered, or transacted through the platform.

2. Eligibility and Approval

Access to materiq is restricted to UK-registered food businesses. All companies must complete a registration process and be manually approved by materiq before they can fully use the platform. materiq reserves the right to reject, suspend, or revoke access at any time and for any reason. Approval does not constitute endorsement of any company, product, or service.

3. Seller Declarations and Responsibilities

By listing materials on materiq VeriStock, sellers declare that: (a) the materials are genuine, in original unopened packaging, and in good order; (b) the materials are legally held and available for sale; (c) all information provided is accurate and complete; (d) the seller holds appropriate food safety certifications; (e) the seller is responsible for the quality, legality, and suitability of the materials; (f) the seller will comply with all applicable UK food safety and trading standards legislation.

4. Seller Representations and Misrepresentation

Sellers warrant that all information they provide in connection with a listing, request, or tender is accurate, complete, and not misleading. This includes, without limitation: GFSI and other food safety certification claims; the availability of Certificates of Analysis (CoA) and specification documents; lot and batch codes; best-before and expiry dates; quantities, packaging condition, and storage history. materiq does not independently verify or guarantee the accuracy of listing data — counterparties rely on seller-provided information at their own risk, subject to their own due diligence under section 5.

Misrepresentation of any listing information may result in removal of the listing, suspension or termination of the seller's account under section 9, and may expose the seller to liability to counterparties who have relied on the inaccurate information. Sellers remain solely responsible for any loss arising from inaccurate or misleading information they provide.

5. Buyer Responsibilities

Buyers are responsible for: (a) conducting their own due diligence on any materials or suppliers; (b) verifying product suitability, quality, and legality before purchase; (c) ensuring compliance with their own food safety management systems; (d) negotiating and concluding contracts directly with suppliers; (e) arranging collection, delivery, and acceptance of materials.

6. UK-Only B2B Facilitator

materiq is designed exclusively for UK business-to-business transactions. The platform is not available to consumers. All users must be UK-registered businesses. materiq does not facilitate international trade. The platform operates as a facilitator only — it does not take ownership of, store, transport, or handle any physical goods.

7. Platform Fees

materiq's standard fee schedule for sourcing services is: £200 per surplus listing, £100 per urgent request, and £240 per tender. These fees are for platform services only and do not include any payment for physical goods. All fees are subject to VAT where applicable.

Founding period. During the current founding period, all platform fees are waived. No payment is taken for creating a surplus listing, urgent request, or tender, and no payment details are collected. The standard fee schedule above is published for transparency only and does not apply while the founding period is in effect.

When platform fees are introduced, materiq will give members reasonable advance notice before any fee starts applying. Fees will not be applied retrospectively to listings, requests, or tenders created during the founding period. Once introduced, fees will be payable in advance via a third-party payment processor (see section 8) and will be non-refundable once the service has been provided, except where a refund is required by law.

8. Payment Processing

No payments are currently taken on materiq. During the founding period described in section 7, materiq does not collect, store, or process any payment card details, and no payment processor is engaged on your behalf.

When platform fees are introduced, fee payments will be processed by a third-party payment processor — expected to be Stripe Payments Europe, Ltd. (“Stripe”), a PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. Making a payment will be subject to the processor's own terms — in Stripe's case, its Services Agreement and Privacy Policy. Card data will be entered directly with the processor and will not be stored on or pass through materiq's servers; materiq will receive only payment status, a truncated card reference, and a transaction identifier for billing records. These terms will be updated with full payment provisions before any fee is charged.

If you believe a payment has been made in error, contact us at support@materiq.io.

9. Listing Moderation and Removal

materiq may, at its sole discretion, review, decline to publish, remove, or suspend any listing, request, or tender at any time — including on grounds of accuracy, food safety, legal or regulatory concern, or the integrity and trustworthiness of the platform. materiq may also suspend or terminate a member's account for breach of these terms. materiq is not obliged to give prior notice of moderation action, and accepts no liability for any loss arising from the removal or suspension of content or accounts.

10. TenderLink Confidentiality

Tender details and bids submitted through TenderLink are confidential. Bidders must not collude with other bidders, coordinate bidding, or share bid information with any other bidder or third party. Buyers must not disclose one bidder's pricing or bid terms to another bidder while a tender is live. Breach of this section may result in removal from the tender, suspension of the account under section 9, and liability to affected parties.

11. Disputes Between Members

All contracts for the sale of goods are entered into directly between the buyer and the seller. materiq is not a party to any such contract and does not arbitrate, mediate, or adjudicate disputes between members. Members must resolve any dispute — including disputes over quality, delivery, payment for goods, or contract performance — directly with their counterparty. On legitimate request, materiq may provide the parties with relevant platform records (such as listing data, messages, or audit trail entries) to assist resolution, subject to our Privacy Policy and applicable law.

12. Food-Safety Incidents and Recalls

If a member becomes aware of a recall, withdrawal, or other food-safety issue affecting materials listed, offered, or traded via the platform, the member must promptly notify all affected counterparties and materiq at support@materiq.io. Members remain solely responsible for their own regulatory obligations, including any required notifications to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) or other competent authorities, and for conducting any recall or withdrawal in accordance with applicable law. materiq's role is limited to facilitating communication and does not extend to managing or executing recalls.

13. Data Protection

materiq processes personal data in accordance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. See our Privacy Policy for full details. Company and user data is stored securely and is not shared with third parties except as necessary to provide the platform services.

14. Limitation of Liability

materiq's liability is limited to the platform fees paid. materiq is not liable for any loss, damage, or claim arising from transactions between users, the quality or suitability of materials, or any failure by users to comply with their obligations. Users indemnify materiq against all claims arising from their use of the platform.

15. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.