Content Guidelines

1. Purpose

These guidelines explain what content is and isn't allowed on Herbal Habits. They apply to everything submitted to the platform: store listings, descriptions, images, deals, calendar events, store feed posts, reviews, and ideas and comments on the Shape Herbal Habits board. Herbal Habits is merely a platform that brings shoppers and store owners together, so each store owner is responsible for the content they submit. Following these guidelines keeps the platform trustworthy, lawful, and safe for everyone. Content that breaches these guidelines may be edited, hidden, or removed, and repeat breaches may lead to suspension.

2. The most important rule: no health or medical claims

Herbal Habits is a directory, not a health service. You may not make claims that a product treats, cures, prevents, relieves, heals, or diagnoses any disease, illness, or health condition. This applies even if you believe the claim is true.

Not allowed (examples):

• "Cures insomnia"
• "Relieves anxiety and depression"
• "Treats chronic pain"
• "Boosts your immune system to fight illness"
• "A natural remedy for high blood pressure"
• "Detoxifies your organs"

Allowed (examples of compliant phrasing):

• "A calming herbal blend traditionally enjoyed in the evening"
• "Popular with customers who enjoy botanical teas"
• "Crafted from locally sourced herbs"
• "A warming, aromatic blend"

The difference: describe what a product is and its qualities, not what it does to your health. When in doubt, leave the health angle out.

3. Accurate & honest content

• Listings must be truthful and not misleading.
• Prices, deals, and product descriptions must be accurate and current.
• Don't exaggerate, fabricate, or promise outcomes.
• Only list products you are legally allowed to sell.

4. Prohibited products & content

You may not list or promote:

• Anything illegal to sell in South Africa;
• Content that makes prohibited health/medical claims;
• Content that is false, misleading, defamatory, or infringing;
• Sexually explicit, hateful, violent, or discriminatory content;
• Content targeting or appealing to anyone under 18;
• Spam, scams, or deceptive practices.

Members-only clubs (stores in the Social Club, Café & Coffeeshop, Medical Dispensary or Concentrates & Extracts categories, stores that switch on the Members-only club option, and stores we mark as a club) keep a public listing, but their promotions, giveaways and rewards are only for the members they let in. At a club:

• Every promotion, giveaway and reward must say which legal item it's for (accessories, grow equipment, hemp products, food and drinks, merch, or events), and you confirm it isn't for cannabis or anything containing THC;
• No promotion may be for cannabis in any form, under any name, hint or emoji, and no cannabis "gift" in exchange for a donation, a fee or a membership;
• No prices by weight, product menus or donation price lists anywhere on your listing;
• We check club promotions automatically and by hand, and switch off any that break these rules.

5. Calendar events

Store owners can add events to their calendar. Events are the store owner's own: you organise and run them, and you're responsible for them, including any permits, safety, age checks and following the law. Herbal Habits only shows them.

• Events must be for adults (18+) and must not target or appeal to anyone under 18;
• No events that involve selling, supplying, sharing or handing out cannabis, or using it in public;
• No health or medical claims in an event's title, description or details;
• Dates, times, location and prices must be accurate. Update or delete an event if it changes or is cancelled;
• Ticket, booking and join links must go to a genuine page for that event.

Events that break these rules may be hidden or removed, and repeated breaches may lead to suspension.

6. Images

• Use images you own or are licensed to use.
• Images must accurately represent your store and products.
• No offensive, explicit, or misleading imagery.
• No text in images that makes claims you couldn't make in writing.

7. Reviews & ratings

For shoppers leaving reviews:

• Reviews must reflect a genuine, honest experience.
• Don't post fake, incentivised, or manipulated reviews.
• No abusive, defamatory, hateful, or off-topic content.
• Don't include personal information about yourself or others.
• You can edit or delete your own review at any time from the store's Reviews tab or My Reviews in your dashboard. Edited reviews are marked as edited.

For store owners:

• You may publicly reply to reviews professionally and courteously.
• You may not post reviews of your own store, or fake reviews.
• You may not remove or alter genuine reviews. If you believe a review breaches these guidelines, you can flag it for our moderation team.
• You may not offer a discount, gift, refund or anything else in exchange for a shopper changing or removing their review, and you may not pressure them to do so. Putting a problem right is welcome; buying a better review is not.

8. How we moderate

• Listings are reviewed before going live and may be checked at any time.
• We use automated tools and human review to detect breaches, including prohibited health claims.
• Content that breaches these guidelines may be edited, hidden, or removed.
• We may request changes, suspend listings, or close accounts for repeat or serious breaches.
• Flagging a review or listing sends it to our moderation team, who decide by exception. Misuse of flagging (for example, to remove honest criticism) may affect your standing.

9. Reporting a problem

If you see content that breaches these guidelines, report it to hello (at) herbalhabits.co.za with enough detail for us to find and assess it. For unlawful content, our formal take-down process under our Terms of Service applies.

10. Changes

We may update these guidelines from time to time. The current version always applies, and the "last updated" date shows when it last changed.