Cookie Policy
Cookie Policy
Last Updated: 15 January 2026
1. Introduction
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how Herba Direct UK ("we", "us", "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on our website at www.herbadirectuk.co.uk, how third parties we work with may use cookies, and your choices regarding cookies.
Please read this Cookie Policy together with our Privacy Policy, which provides additional details about how we collect, use, and protect your personal data and explains your rights.
2. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide a better user experience.
How cookies work:
- Your web browser stores the cookie file
- The cookie allows the website to recognize your device on future visits
- Cookies help websites remember your preferences and actions
- They act like a user identification card for the website's servers
Similar Technologies:
We also use similar technologies alongside cookies:
- Web beacons (pixel tags): Small invisible images embedded in web pages or emails that help us track page views and email opens
- Local storage: Technology that allows websites to store data locally on your device
- Session storage: Temporary storage that is cleared when you close your browser
Throughout this policy, when we refer to "cookies," we include these similar technologies.
3. Why We Use Cookies
Cookies help us:
✓ Make our website work properly and securely
✓ Remember your preferences and settings
✓ Understand how you use our website
✓ Improve your browsing experience
✓ Show you relevant content and advertisements
✓ Analyze website performance and fix problems
✓ Remember items in your shopping cart
✓ Keep you logged into your account
Without certain cookies, our website would not function properly, and you wouldn't be able to use essential features like adding items to your cart or checking out.
4. Types of Cookies We Use
We use different categories of cookies for different purposes:
4.1 Essential (Strictly Necessary) Cookies
What they do: These cookies are absolutely necessary for our website to function. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility.
Examples of what they enable:
- Secure login to your account
- Shopping cart functionality
- Payment processing
- Security and fraud prevention
- Load balancing across servers
- Remembering your cookie consent choices
Can you disable them? No - these cookies cannot be disabled as the website would not work without them. They are essential for providing services you have requested.
Legal basis: Legitimate interests (providing the service you've requested)
Do they use personal data? They may process minimal personal data like session IDs, but this is necessary for the website to function.
4.2 Functional (Convenience) Cookies
What they do: These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make to provide enhanced, personalized features.
Examples of what they remember:
- Your username when you log in
- Your language preference
- Your region or location
- Text size and font preferences
- Previous searches or viewed products
- Customizations you've made to the website
Can you disable them? Yes - however, disabling these may affect how the website functions for you and may reduce the personalization of your experience.
Legal basis: Consent / Legitimate interests
Do they use personal data? They may store information about your preferences and choices.
4.3 Analytics and Performance Cookies
What they do: These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, helping us understand user behavior and improve our services.
Examples of what they track:
- Which pages are most and least popular
- How visitors navigate through the site
- How long visitors spend on pages
- Error messages visitors encounter
- Loading times and website performance
- Entry and exit pages
Can you disable them? Yes - disabling these cookies will not affect your use of the website but will prevent us from improving it based on user behavior.
Legal basis: Consent / Legitimate interests
Do they use personal data? Data is typically aggregated and anonymized, but may include IP addresses.
4.4 Marketing and Advertising Cookies (Targeting Cookies)
What they do: These cookies track your browsing activity to deliver relevant advertisements and measure advertising campaign effectiveness.
Examples of what they do:
- Remember products you've viewed
- Show you relevant ads on other websites
- Prevent the same ad from appearing too many times
- Measure whether you clicked on an ad
- Build a profile of your interests
- Show you personalized product recommendations
Can you disable them? Yes - you can disable these cookies. You'll still see advertisements, but they won't be tailored to your interests.
Legal basis: Consent
Do they use personal data? Yes, they may track your browsing behavior across websites and build interest profiles.
5. Cookies We Use on Our Website
Below is a detailed list of the specific cookies used on www.herbadirectuk.co.uk:
Essential Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| hu-consent | Stores your cookie consent preferences for our website | 1 month | First-party |
| PHPSESSID | Maintains your session state as you navigate the site | Session | First-party |
| woocommerce_cart_hash | Enables shopping cart functionality | Session | First-party |
| woocommerce_items_in_cart | Remembers items you've added to cart | Session | First-party |
| wp_woocommerce_session | Maintains WooCommerce session data | 2 days | First-party |
| wordpress_logged_in | Keeps you logged in to your account | 14 days | First-party |
| wordpress_sec | Security cookie for logged-in users | 14 days | First-party |
Functional Cookies
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| arp_scroll_position | Remembers your scroll position on a page | 4 hours | First-party |
| wp-settings-{user_id} | Stores your WordPress dashboard preferences | 1 year | First-party |
Analytics Cookies
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a web analytics service provided by Google LLC that helps us understand how visitors interact with our website.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _ga | Distinguishes unique users | 2 years | Third-party |
| _gid | Distinguishes unique users | 24 hours | Third-party |
| _gat | Throttles request rate | 1 minute | Third-party |
| ga<container-id> | Persists session state | 2 years | Third-party |
What data is collected:
- Pages you visit
- Time spent on pages
- How you arrived at our site
- Your approximate location (city/region)
- Device and browser information
- Interactions with page elements
Data transfers: Data may be transferred to Google servers in the USA. Google anonymizes IP addresses to prevent direct identification.
Google's role: Google acts as a data processor for analytics data.
More information:
- Google Analytics Privacy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
- How Google uses data: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites
- Google Analytics opt-out: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
WooCommerce Analytics
WooCommerce Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Automattic Inc. that tracks shop interactions and customer behavior.
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| tk_ai | Stores randomly generated anonymous ID | 5 years | Third-party |
| tk_qs | Stores referral information | 30 minutes | Third-party |
What data is collected:
- Products viewed and purchased
- Cart interactions
- Checkout behavior
- Shop performance metrics
- Customer journey through the purchase process
Data handling: Automattic states it will not associate your IP address with other data held.
More information:
- WooCommerce Analytics: https://woocommerce.com/document/woocommerce-analytics/
- Automattic Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/
Marketing Cookies
We may use the following third-party marketing and advertising cookies:
Google Ads / Google Marketing Platform
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _gcl_au | Used by Google AdSense for advertising efficiency | 3 months | Third-party |
| IDE | Used for remarketing and targeted advertising | 13 months | Third-party |
| test_cookie | Checks if browser accepts cookies | 15 minutes | Third-party |
Facebook Pixel (if applicable)
| Cookie Name | Purpose | Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| _fbp | Tracks visits and user behavior for Facebook advertising | 3 months | Third-party |
| fr | Facebook advertising and retargeting | 3 months | Third-party |
Note: This list may be updated from time to time as we add or remove cookies. The current list is accurate as of the date shown at the top of this policy.
6. First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies
First-party cookies are set directly by our website (herbadirectuk.co.uk). We have full control over these cookies and how they're used.
Third-party cookies are set by other organizations' domains (like Google or Facebook) when you visit our site. We have less control over these cookies, and they're subject to those organizations' privacy policies.
7. Session vs. Persistent Cookies
Session cookies are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. They're typically used to remember your actions as you navigate our website during a single visit.
Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period (specified in the "Duration" column in our tables above) or until you delete them. They remember your preferences across multiple visits.
8. How to Manage Your Cookie Preferences
You have several options for managing cookies:
8.1 Our Cookie Consent Tool
When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie banner that allows you to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject non-essential cookies
- Customize your preferences by cookie category
You can change your preferences at any time by:
- Clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our website footer
- Accessing cookie preferences in your account settings
- Clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the site
8.2 Browser Settings
All modern browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Here's how to manage cookies in common browsers:
Google Chrome:
- Click the three dots (⋮) in the top right
- Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data
- Choose your preferred cookie settings
Mozilla Firefox:
- Click the menu button (≡) and select Settings
- Select Privacy & Security
- Under Cookies and Site Data, adjust your preferences
Safari (Mac):
- Click Safari in the menu bar, then Preferences
- Click Privacy
- Select your cookie preferences
Microsoft Edge:
- Click the three dots (…) in the top right
- Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data
- Adjust your preferences
Safari (iOS):
- Go to Settings > Safari
- Scroll to Privacy & Security
- Manage cookie settings
Chrome (Android):
- Open Chrome and tap the three dots
- Tap Settings > Site settings > Cookies
- Adjust your preferences
Browser help pages:
- Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
- Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/cookies-information-websites-store-on-your-computer
- Safari: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac
- Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/delete-cookies-in-microsoft-edge-63947406-40ac-c3b8-57b9-2a946a29ae09
8.3 Opt-Out Tools for Specific Services
Google Analytics: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Google Ads: Manage your Google advertising preferences:
https://adssettings.google.com
Facebook: Manage your Facebook ad preferences:
https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences
Industry-wide opt-out platforms:
- Your Online Choices (EU): https://www.youronlinechoices.com/
- Network Advertising Initiative: https://optout.networkadvertising.org/
- Digital Advertising Alliance: https://optout.aboutads.info/
8.4 Mobile Device Settings
iOS: Settings > Privacy > Tracking > Allow Apps to Request to Track (disable)
Settings > Privacy > Apple Advertising > Personalized Ads (disable)
Android: Settings > Google > Ads > Opt out of Ads Personalization
9. What Happens If You Disable Cookies?
The impact of disabling cookies depends on which types you disable:
If you disable essential cookies:
- You won't be able to use our website properly
- Shopping cart won't work
- You can't log in or make purchases
- Security features will be compromised
If you disable functional cookies:
- You'll need to re-enter preferences each visit
- Personalization features won't work
- Some conveniences will be lost
- The site will still function for core tasks
If you disable analytics cookies:
- Your browsing won't be tracked for analytics
- We'll have less insight into how to improve the site
- No impact on your ability to use the site
If you disable marketing cookies:
- You'll still see ads, but they won't be personalized
- You may see the same ads repeatedly
- Ads may be less relevant to your interests
- No impact on site functionality
10. Do Not Track (DNT) Signals
Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you don't want your online activity tracked. Currently, there is no universal standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals.
Our website does not currently respond to DNT signals. However, you can use the cookie management options described above to control tracking on our site.
11. Cookies and Personal Data
Where cookie data constitutes personal data under UK GDPR, we process it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Legal bases for processing cookie data:
- Essential cookies: Legitimate interests (necessary for the service)
- Functional cookies: Consent or legitimate interests
- Analytics cookies: Consent or legitimate interests
- Marketing cookies: Consent
For non-essential cookies, we obtain your consent before placing them on your device through our cookie consent banner.
Your rights: You have the same data protection rights regarding cookie data as you do for other personal data. See our Privacy Policy for full details of your rights.
12. Cookies and Children
Our website and services are not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly use cookies to collect information from children under 18.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with information through cookies, please contact us, and we will delete it.
13. International Data Transfers
Some of the third-party services that set cookies on our website are based outside the UK (particularly in the USA, such as Google and Facebook).
When data is transferred internationally through cookies, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through:
- Standard Contractual Clauses
- Adequacy decisions (where applicable)
- The third party's privacy frameworks and certifications
For more information on international data transfers, please see our Privacy Policy.
14. Updates to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect:
- Changes in the cookies we use
- New technologies or services
- Changes in cookie regulations
- User feedback
- Changes to our website functionality
When we update this policy:
- We'll change the "Last Updated" date at the top
- For significant changes, we'll notify you via our website banner or email
- We may ask you to review and accept the updated policy
We recommend checking this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies.
15. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about our use of cookies, or if you would like to exercise your rights regarding cookie data, please contact us:
Herba Direct UK
Contact Person: Sophie Richardson
Email: support@herbadirectuk.co.uk
(We aim to respond within 2 business days)
Mail:
Herba Direct UK
Essex House
Upminster
Essex
RM13 2SJ
United Kingdom
Website: www.herbadirectuk.co.uk
Quick Reference Guide
Essential Cookies:
- ✅ Always active (website won't work without them)
- Enable shopping cart, login, and security features
Functional Cookies:
- ⚙️ Can be disabled
- Remember your preferences and settings
Analytics Cookies:
- 📊 Can be disabled
- Help us improve the website
- Managed through cookie preferences or Google's opt-out tool
Marketing Cookies:
- 🎯 Can be disabled
- Show you relevant advertisements
- Managed through cookie preferences and advertising opt-out tools
To manage cookies:
- Use our cookie consent banner when you first visit
- Click "Cookie Settings" in our footer anytime
- Adjust settings in your browser
- Use third-party opt-out tools
Need help? Contact support@herbadirectuk.co.uk
This Cookie Policy was last updated on 15 January 2026 and applies to all visitors to www.herbadirectuk.co.uk