A cookie is a small text file which is placed onto your computer or device when you browse our website. This website uses cookies and similar technologies such as pixels in order to distinguish you from other users, to provide you with a better experience and to improve our site by better understanding how you use it.
We are allowed to store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we provide an easy way for you to control their use (see below). We will assume you accept our cookie policy if you continue using our site.
For more details on the personal data that we use and the measures we have in place to protect your personal data, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
What types of cookies are there?
Cookies fall into two groups:
- First party cookies are those placed directly by us and are used only by us. We have carefully chosen these cookies and have taken steps to ensure that your privacy and personal data is protected and respected at all times.
- You may also receive certain third party cookies on your computer or device. Third party cookies are those placed by websites and services other than us, e.g. Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. We don’t have any control over third party cookies.
Within these groups, there are several different types of cookies that may be used on a website:
- Strictly necessary cookies - Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.
- Functionality cookies - These are cookies that automatically remember choices that users have previously made in order to improve their experience next time they visit a website. For example, where users select their preferred language or layout.
- Analytical/Performance cookies - These cookies collect anonymous information about users for the purpose of assessing the performance of a website. Common uses include well-known web analytics tools such as ‘Google Analytics’.
- Re-targeting or advertising cookies - These cookies are used to track visitors across websites and, specifically, collect information about any pages on our site you visit and also other websites you visit, the cookie or ‘identifier’ then places you in a “market segment”. This means you may see adverts for our products, or other products, which you may be interested in when visiting other websites or Apps. We partner with a number of companies, including Facebook and Amazon. We also use Google Analytics to provide these cookies. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers. For more information about this type of interest based advertising, and about how to turn this feature off, please either contact us or visit www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/.
What cookies does our site use?
Necessary cookies:
| Name of Cookie | Purpose | First or Third party |
| exp_last_activity | Allows us to remember the last time you interacted with the site within the current visit | First |
| exp_tracker | Allows us to remember the last 5 pages you viewed | First |
| exp_csrf_token | Enhancement for Expression Engine security. Helps verify form submissions are genuine | First |
| exp_last_visit | Allows us to remember the last time you visited the site | First |
| exp_cartthrob_session_id | Remembers which items are in the cart | First |
| __cfduid | Set by the CloudFlare service to identify trusted web traffic. It does not correspond to any user id in the web application, nor does the cookie store any personally identifiable information. | Third |
| PHPSESSID | Set by the site to maintain a users secure server session. Also can store a users shopping basket. | First |
| BM_CookieConsent | Remembers if you’ve closed our cookie notice bar. | First |
| ms_cookiepermission | Remembers your cookie preference setting for this site. | First |
Functionality cookies:
| Name of Cookie | Purpose | First or Third party |
| guest_id | Stores information used by Twitter to identify you when tweeting about an article | Third |
| exp_perpage | Allows the site to remember your preferences | First |
| exp_shortlist_session_id | Delivers shortlist functionality | First |
| APISID | Stores the preferences and information of users each time they visit web pages containing a Google service | Third |
| datr | Facebook security cookie | Third |
Analytical/Performance cookies
| Name of Cookie | Purpose | First or Third party |
| prefixed by ‘__utm’ | Stores information used by Google Analytics to track user activity on the site. | Third |
| _ga | Stores information used by Google Analytics to track user activity on the site. | Third |
| _gat | Stores information used by Google Analytics to track user activity on the site. | Third |
| __gid | Stores information used by Google Analytics to track user activity on the site. | Third |
| 1P_JAR | Stores information used by Google Analytics to track user activity on the site. | Third |
| CONSENT | Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of what videos from YouTube the user has seen. Session cookie. | Third |
Marketing cookies
| Name of Cookie | Purpose | First or Third party |
| _uetsid | Microsoft Bing Ads Universal Event Tracking (UET) tracking cookie. | Third |
| MUIDB | Used by Microsoft advertising to anonymously identify user sessions to help us measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns | Third |
| MUID | Used by Microsoft advertising to anonymously identify user sessions to help us measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns | Third |
| dmSessionID | Used to store session information for use with DotMailer | First |
| BM_DM | Used to store session information for use with DotMailer | First |
| recordID | Tracks users to our site from emails that we send with DotMailer | First |
| DSID | Other Google properties, like YouTube, may also use these cookies to show you more relevant ads | Third |
| DV | Google ad personalisation data | Third |
| HSID | Google account details | Third |
| IDE | Used for Google DoubleClick to report the website user's actions after viewing or clicking one of the advertiser's ads. Presents targeted ads to the user. | Third |
| NID | Contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information | Third |
| SAPISID | Contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information | Third |
| SID | Contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information | Third |
| SIDCC | Contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information | Third |
| SSID | Contains a unique ID Google uses to remember your preferences and other information | Third |
| fr | Encrypted Facebook ID and Browser ID | Third |
| reg_ext_ref | Facebook cookie stores the external page address from which Facebook was accessed | Third |
| reg_fb_gate | Facebook cookie stores the web page address as the first page identifier | Third |
| reg_fb_ref | Facebook cookie stores web page address as the last page identifier | Third |