What is a cookie?

 

Cookies are used to improve your experience on the web by e.g. remembering your passwords, enabling you to set the size of text, or making it easy to add items to a shopping cart. Analytics cookies which track your behaviour across a site without identifying you in anyway are collected to help website owners understand what works well on the site and what could be improved.

 

Cookies are small text files that are stored on the hard drive of your computer / device so that when you visit a site again it remembers whether you have been there before and what your preferences were. Some cookies are only temporary and are deleted at the point you close your browser. Other cookies are stored for longer. Some cookies are designed to track your behaviour and remember what you have been searching for or looking at online in order to be able to tailor specific content to you when you visit the site again.  The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has produced a guide for website owners (ICC UK Cookie guide) about the use of cookies and this site adheres to the guidance provided by them.

Types of Cookie? as deifined by the ICC Cookie guide

 

Category 1: strictly necessary cookies:

These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies services you have asked for, like shopping baskets or e-billing, cannot be provided.

 

Category 2: performance cookies:

PHPSESSIDGenerated by PHP and is required to maintain sessions within the website1__utmaGenerated by Google Analytics, the analytics system installed on the website.2__utmbGenerated by Google Analytics, the analytics system installed on the website.2__utmcGenerated by Google Analytics, the analytics system installed on the website.2__utbzGenerated by Google Analytics, the analytics system installed on the website.2VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE   Generated by YouTube, required to play videos on the website.3PREFGenerated by YouTube, required to play videos on the website.3use_hitboxGenerated by YouTube, required to play videos on the website.3

 

How can I prevent cookies from being set?

 

You can edit the preferences within your browser to prevent cookies being set.  For help on doing this visit the help or tools section of your browser software.  Note that if you do this it may limit the functionality of the website and you may not have access to the full features of the site.

How can I remove cookies from my device?

 

The method for removing cookies depends on which browser you are using. A useful starting point for this is either to search online for "How to remove cookies from [insert your browser] ..." and insert your browser or you can take a look at: http://www.wikihow.com/Clear-Your-Browser's-Cookies