When you visit our websites, read, click or download information, and receive emailed information from us (e.g. brochures) in response to your requests, we will obtain some information via automated means from or about your device, and about how you use our website. We may also use pixel-tags and cookies that may transfer to the cookie file of your device, depending on the nature of your device. More information about these is set out below. This information helps us so we can improve our site for all our visitors and helps us make ongoing improvements so that the information on our pages can be updated and remains relevant and useful to you.
Device Data
Device Data that our websites collect include:
- Technical information, your internet domain name (this might be your internet service provider, for example, BT, Sky, TalkTalk or your place of work), and Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your device to the internet, your login information, browser type and version, (e.g. Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox), your device type, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system (e.g. Windows 10, macOS) and platform;
- Information about your visit (including the full Uniform Resource Locators (URL) clickstream to, through and from our websites (including date and time); products you viewed or searched for; page response times; download errors; length of visits to certain pages, how many and which pages you visit during a 'session' on our site and how long you were on the site, and page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks and mouse-overs).
- We may receive information about you if you use any of the other websites we operate or services we provide. We work with third parties (including for example business partners, sub-contractors in technical, payment and delivery services, fraud and authentication support service providers, advertising networks, analytics providers and search information providers, credit reference agencies), and may receive information about you from them.
Pixel-Tags
We may use "pixel tags," which are small graphic files that allow us to monitor the use of our websites. A pixel tag can collect information such as the IP (Internet Protocol) address of the computer that downloaded the page on which the tag appears; the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the page on which the pixel tag appears; the time the page containing the pixel tag was viewed; the type of browser that fetched the pixel tag; and the identification number of any cookie on the computer previously placed by that server. When corresponding with you via HTML capable e-mail, we may use "format sensing" technology, which allows pixel tags to let us know whether you received and opened our e-mail.
Cookies
A cookie is a text-only string of information that a website transfers to the cookie file of the browser on your computer's hard disk so that the website can remember who you are. Cookies can help a website to arrange content to match your preferred interests more quickly - most major websites use cookies. Cookies alone cannot be used to identify you.
A cookie will typically contain the name of the domain from which the cookie has come; the "lifetime" of the cookie; and a value, usually a randomly generated unique number.
Two types of cookies are used on this website:
- Session Cookies, which are temporary cookies that remain in the cookie file of your browser until you leave the site.
- Persistent Cookies, which remain in the cookie file of your browser for much longer (though how long will depend on the lifetime of the specific cookie).
How cookies are used on this site and what information is collected.
Session Cookies are used:
- To allow you to carry information across pages of our site and avoid having to re-enter information.
- Within registration to allow you to access stored information.
Persistent Cookies are used:
- To help us recognise you as a unique visitor (using a number, you cannot be identified personally) when you return to our website.
- To allow us to tailor content or advertisements to match your preferred interests or to avoid showing you the same adverts repeatedly.
- To compile anonymous, aggregated statistics that allow us to understand how users use our site and to help us improve the structure of our website. We cannot identify you personally in this way.
To learn more about cookies in general and how to manage them, visit www.aboutcookies.org
Here's a list of the main cookies we use, and what we use them for. You'll find information about 3rd party cookies on the next tab.
Web Beacons
Some of our Web pages may contain electronic images known as Web Beacons (sometimes known as clear gifs) that allow us to count users who have visited these pages. Web Beacons collect only limited information which includes a cookie number; time and date of a page view; and a description of the page on which the Web Beacon resides. We may also carry Web Beacons placed by third party advertisers. These Beacons do not carry any personally identifiable information and are only used to track the effectiveness of a particular campaign.
Managing Cookies - Disabling, Enabling & Deleting Cookies
You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. However, you may not be able to use all the interactive features of our site if cookies are disabled. Guideline instructions on how to check cookies are enabled follow below:
How to set and customise your cookie settings for the browser you are using
Cookie settings in most versions of Internet Explorer can be found by clicking the tools option and then the privacy tab.
How to manage cookies in Microsoft Edge
Cookie settings in Microsoft Edge can be found by clicking the More option and then the Settings icon.
How to manage cookies in Firefox
Cookie settings in Firefox are managed in the Options window's Privacy panel. See Options window - Privacy Panel for information on these settings.
How to manage cookies in Chrome
Click on the spanner icon on the toolbar, select settings, click the under the bonnet tab, click on content settings in the privacy section.
How to manage cookies in Opera
You can manage cookies in Opera if you Click on settings, then Preferences, then Advanced and finally Cookies.
How to manage cookies in Safari
Choose Safari, then preferences and then click security. You should then be able to specify if and when Safari should accept cookies.
To manage cookies on your mobile phone
Please consult your manual or handbook.
Deleting cookies
You can easily delete any cookies that have been installed in the cookie folder of your browser. For example, if you are using Microsoft Windows Explorer:
Open 'Windows Explorer'
Click on the 'Search' button on the tool bar
Type "cookie" into the search box for 'Folders and Files'
Select 'My Computer' in the 'Look In' box
Click 'Search Now'
Double click on the folders that are found
'Select' any cookie file
Hit the 'Delete' button on your keyboard
If you are not using Microsoft Windows Explorer, then you should select "cookies" in the "Help" function for information on where to find your cookie folder.
Your Choices
You have some choices over whether or not this information is accessible from your device. For example, location data, depending on the nature of your device, may be configurable to turn on or off. Most mobile devices provide users with the ability to disable location services. Often, these controls are located in the device's settings menu. If you have questions about how to disable your device's location services, we recommend you contact your mobile service carrier or your device manufacturer.