SO, WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Like most websites, our websites use cookies to collect information. Cookies are small data files which are placed on your computer or other devices (such as smartphones or tablets) as you browse our websites. They are used to ‘remember’ when your computer or device accesses our websites. They allow us to remember whether you are logged in to the site and what items you had in your shopping basket. Cookies are essential for the effective operation of our websites and to help you shop with us online. They are also used to tailor the products and services offered and advertised to you, both on our websites and elsewhere.

INFORMATION COLLECTED

Some cookies collect information about browsing and purchasing behaviour when you access our websites via the same computer or device. This includes information about pages viewed, products purchased and your journey around a website. All data passed by cookies is anonymous and will never contain individual detail such as your name, address, telephone number or payment information but may contain our customer reference number that is unique to you. For more detailed information about how cookies work, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

WHAT ARE COOKIES USED FOR?

Cookies are used with our marketing partners to present you with appropriate offers and advertising as you browse other sites on the internet, based on your browsing activity while on our site. Cookies also allow us to work alongside our web analytics partner, Google Analytics, to see how you like to use our website, which pages or special functions you prefer and help us to make them better. We may match the data we capture through cookies with personal data that we already hold about you to better understand you. This helps us to continually improve the relevance of our promotional communications, your shopping experience and our products and services. The main purposes for which cookies are used are:

1. For functional purposes essential to effective operation of our websites, particularly in relation to online transactions, site navigation and preferences.
2. For marketing and advertising, particularly web banner advertisements and targeted updates through digital channels and social media.
3. To enable us to collect information about your browsing and shopping behaviour, helping us to improve your shopping experience and to monitor performance.
4. To enable us to meet our contractual obligations to make payments to third parties when a product is purchased by someone who has visited our website from a site operated by those parties.

 

WHAT TYPE OF COOKIES DO WE USE?

There are two types of cookie that may be used during your visit to our site:

1. Session cookies

Session cookies are deleted after each visit to our site. For example, when you are browsing our site, it will remember you for the duration of your visit, but the cookie will be removed from your computer as soon as you close down your internet browser. Session cookies allow you to add an item to the basket and then move through the checkout. Disallowing these cookies via your web browser will mean you are unable to place an order on this site.

2. Persistent cookies

Persistent cookies remember you for a set period of time, allowing wishlist and/or previously viewed product(s) to be displayed the next time you visit our site and whether you were logged into your account.

TURNING OFF AND DELETING COOKIES

Most web browsers will provide the option to turn off or disallow cookies. How you do this depends on the web browser you are using. Instructions for disallowing cookies can usually be found in the browser's 'Help' menu. Note that in common with most other transactional websites, if you only disable third party cookies, you will not be prevented from making purchases on our websites but refusing the cookies we have used via your web browser will mean that you are unable to make a transactional purchase on our website. You may also find that the functionality of many other websites and services will be affected. Cookies can be deleted using your web browser. However, unless they are disallowed they will be re-applied the next time you visit a website.

If you want to disable cookies you need to change your website browser settings to reject cookies. How you can do this will depend on the browser you use. Further details on how to disable cookies for the most popular desktop browsers are set out here (these may vary depending on operating system and browser version):

For Microsoft Internet Explorer:

1. Choose the menu “Tools” then “Internet Options”
2. Click on the “Privacy” tab
3. Select “Advanced”
4. Choose the appropriate settings

For Microsoft Edge:

1. Choose "Settings and more" then "Settings"
2. Click on "Privacy and Services"
3. Under 'Clear Browsing Data", select "Choose What to Clear"
4. Under "Time Range", choose a time range

5. Select "Cookies and Other Site Data", and then select "Clear Now"

For Google Chrome:

1. Choose “Settings” and click on “Advanced”
2. Under "Privacy and Security" click “Content Settings”
3. Click “Cookies”

For Safari:

1. Choose Preferences > Privacy
2. Click on “Block All Cookies”

For Mozilla firefox:

1. Click on the menu icon then select “Options”
2. Click on the icon “Privacy & Security”
3. Find the menu “Cookie” and select the relevant options

For Opera 6.0 and further:

1. Choose the menu icon and select “Settings”
2. Click on “Privacy & Security”
3. Choose the appropriate settings