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Cookie policy

Introduction

Cookies are alphanumeric identifiers that we transfer to your computer’s hard drive through your Web browser to enable our systems to recognise your browser and to provide features such as personalised greetings and storage of items in your Shopping Basket between visits.

The Help menu on the menu bar of most browsers will tell you how to prevent your browser from accepting new cookies, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie and how to disable cookies altogether. Additionally, you can disable or delete similar data used by browser add-ons, such as Flash cookies, by changing the add-on’s settings or visiting the website of its manufacturer. If you do leave cookies turned on, be sure to sign off when you finish using a shared computer.

The cookies we store are harmless and because we like to be as transparent with our customers as possible we have published below the details of all cookies used on our website along with explanations on what each one is used for.

Analytics cookies

We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of our website.  Our analytics service provider generates statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies.  The analytics cookies used by our website have the following names: “_utma”, “_utmb”, “_utmc” and “_utmz”. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website.

Our analytics service provider’s privacy policy is available at: http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/

Name: __utma

Example: 217454337.2139013845.1318512106

Explanation: Set by Google Analytics to help identify a visitor as unique. So if you visit our website more than once.

Expires: 2 years from set/update.

Name: __utmb

Example: 209716929.11.10.13355

Explanation: Set by Google Analytics to track your current session.

Expires: 30 minutes from set/update.

Name: __utmc

Example: 217454337

Explanation: Set by Google Analytics – not currently in use any more. Historically this cookie used to be used with __utmb to check whether or not to establish a new session for that visitor – whether they were a new visitor or not.

Expires: End of session.

Name: __utmz

Example: 217454337.1337692541.98.14.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=(not%20provided)

Explanation: Set by Google Analytics to store the type of referral for each visitor, such as a direct visitor, referring hyperlink or a website search.

Expires: 6 months from set/update.

Blocking cookies

 Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies; for example:

  • Safari (version 17.3) you can block cookies clicking “settings” then “advanced” and clicking the checkbox ‘block all cookies”
  • Firefox (version 122) you can block all cookies by clicking “Tools”, “Options”, “Privacy”, selecting “Use custom settings for history” from the drop-down menu, and unticking “Accept cookies from sites”
  • Chrome(version 121), you can block all cookies by accessing the “Customise and control” menu, and clicking “Settings”, “Show advanced settings” and “Content settings”, and then selecting “Block sites from setting any data” under the “Cookies” heading.

Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites.  If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on our website.

Deleting cookies

You can delete cookies already stored on your computer; for example:

  • Safari (version 17.3) you can block cookies clicking “settings”, then “privacy” and clicking “Manage website data” the click “remove all”
  • Firefox(version 122), you can delete cookies by clicking “Tools”, “Options” and “Privacy”, then selecting “Use custom settings for history” from the drop-down menu, clicking “Show Cookies”, and then clicking “Remove All Cookies”; and
  • Chrome(version 121), you can delete all cookies by accessing the “Customise and control” menu, and clicking “Settings”, “Show advanced settings” and “Clear browsing data”, and then selecting “Cookies and other site and plug-in data” before clicking “Clear browsing data”.

Deleting cookies will have a negative impact on the usability of many websites.