What is a cookie?

What is a cookie?

Cookies are text fields containing small amounts of information, which your computer or mobile device downloads when you visit a website. When you return to websites - or visit websites that use the same cookies – they recognise these cookies and therefore your browsing device.

1. Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential, as they enable you to move around a website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas. Without these cookies, services you've asked for (such as access to secure areas) can't be provided. These cookies don't gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you've been on the internet.

This category cannot be disabled.

2. Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how you use a website, for example which pages you go to most often and if you get any error messages from certain pages. These cookies don't gather information that identifies you. All information these cookies collect is anonymous and is only used to improve how a website works.

These cookies are not used to target you with online advertising. Without these cookies we can't learn how our website is performing and make relevant improvements that could better your browsing experience.

3. Functionality & Profile Cookies

These cookies allow a website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you're in) and tailor the website to provide enhanced features and content for you. For instance, they remember your login details and allow you to watch videos. They also ensure the onsite marketing and experience is relevant to you. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you've made to text size, font and other parts of pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you've asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymous and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

Without these cookies, a website cannot remember choices you've previously made or personalise your browsing experience.

4. Targeting Cookies

These cookies gather information about your browsing habits. They remember that you've visited a website and share this information with other organisations such as advertisers. They do this in order to provide you with ads that are more relevant to you and your interests. Although these cookies can track your visits to other websites, they don't usually know who you are.

Without these cookies, online advertisements you encounter will be less relevant to you and your interests.

Setting your cookie preferences

You can control how cookies are placed on your device either in your 'Cookie settings' on this website or from within your own browser. 

What happens to cookies that have been downloaded in the past?

Once you've disabled a cookie category we'll stop using the associated cookies to gather any further information but we may still use information collected previously. You can delete existing cookies from your browser.

More information

Information about cookies:
http://www.allaboutcookies.org

Internet Advertising Bureau:
Guide to online advertising and privacy

International Chamber of Commerce United Kingdom:
ICC UK cookie guide