Cookie Policy

Our Site uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our Site. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our Site and also allows us to improve our Site. (By continuing to browse the Site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.)

When you enter our Site for the first time and where we wish to issue your computer with a cookie, you will be asked to consent to such use. If you wish to reject our cookie, you can decline our request, in which case you may not be able to use the Site or some parts of it. Additionally, you can configure your browser to do so, or you can ask your internet browser to alert you when a cookie is being set up. Cookies in themselves do not identify the individual user, just the computer used. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Many websites do this whenever a user visits their website in order to track traffic flows.

We use the following cookies:

  • Strictly necessary cookies. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our Site. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our Site, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services.
  • Analytical/performance cookies. They allow us to recognise and count the number of users and to see how users move around our Site when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our Site works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.

You can find more information about the individual cookies we use and the purposes for which we use them in the table below:

Name

Purpose

Expiry Period

__utma

  • Used to distinguish users and sessions. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing __utma cookies exist. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics.

2 years from set/update.

__utmt

  • Used to throttle request rate.

10 minutes.

__utmb

  • Used to determine new sessions/visits. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and no existing__utmb cookies exist. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics.

30 minutes from set/update.

__utmc

  • Not used in ga.js. Set for interoperability with urchin.js. Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the __utmb cookie to determine whether the user was in a new session/visit.

End of browser session.

__utmz

  • Stores the traffic source or campaign that explains how the user reached your site. The cookie is created when the javascript library executes and is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics.

6 months from set/update.

__utmv

  • Used to store visitor-level custom variable data. This cookie is created when a developer uses the _setCustomVar method with a visitor level custom variable. This cookie was also used for the deprecated_setVar method. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to Google Analytics.

2 years from set/update.


Hide Note

Please note that third parties (including, for example, advertising networks and providers of external services like web traffic analysis services) may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies.

Blocking Cookies

You are able to block cookies by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our Site.

Information on how to block cookies can usually be found within the “Help” feature of your browser. Information can also be found on the main browser websites.

http://www.apple.com/safari/ (Apple Safari)

http://www.google.com/chrome (Google Chrome)

http://www.microsoft.com (Internet Explorer)

http://www.mozilla--europe.org/en/firefox (Mozilla Firefox)

http://www.opera.com (Opera)