Cookie Notice

This Cookie Notice explains how we use cookies and other similar technologies on Focus Group websites (the & “Sites”), and our emails.

Our websites use cookies and other technologies that are necessary for us to deliver the Sites to you. In addition, other non-essential cookies and technologies are used for the purposes set out in this Cookie Notice.

This Cookie Notice explains what cookies and other similar technologies are, why we use them (including the different types of cookies and technologies that we use), and how you can manage your preferences. This Cookie Notice explains what cookies and other similar technologies are, why we use them (including the different types of cookies and technologies that we use), and how you can manage your preferences.

This Cookie Notice should also be read in conjunction with our Privacy Notice.

What are cookies and other similar technologies?

Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information which are downloaded to your browser and accessed by the website operator or third-parties when you visit the original website or another website that recognises the cookie.

We set some cookies to collect information about you – these are called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies, which are set by third-parties and information about you collected by those cookies will be shared with the relevant third-party. Please refer to the relevant third-party’s privacy notice as set out in the table below for more details about the information they collect and how they use it.

You can find more information about cookies at: https://www.aboutcookies.org. We also use other similar technologies to cookies, such as web beacons, pixels, and tags. These technologies do a similar job to cookies.

For the purposes of the remaining sections of this Cookie Notice, we refer to cookies and these other similar technologies as “cookies.”

Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improving the user experience. The law states that we can, and we only want to store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of our websites. For all other types of cookies, we both want and need your permission.

Our websites use different types of cookies.

Please note that our websites may link to third-party websites which are not operated by us. Where you follow links from our websites to that of a third-party, that website may place different cookies on your device. You should check the relevant privacy notice and/or cookie notice for more information about how that third-party uses cookies.

You should be aware that applications you use to access our Sites, such as your website browser, may also place cookies on your device when visiting our Sites, or other websites. An example of this would be where you sign into Google Chrome using a Google Account. We do not have control over these third-party cookies, so you will need to manage these cookies in the settings of the relevant applications.

How long do cookies last?

All cookies have expiration dates that determine how long they stay in your browser:

Session Cookies – these are temporary cookies that are placed on your device during your browsing session and then expire (and are automatically erased) whenever you close your browser.

Persistent Cookies – these are designed to last for a pre-defined period, which varies depending on the nature of the cookie. Persistent cookies stay in your browser until they reach their individual expiry date, or until you manually delete them (see below).

How do I refuse, block, or delete cookies?

There are various ways that you can manage your cookie preferences, but please be aware that to use some parts of our websites you will need to allow certain essential or functional cookies. If you block or subsequently delete those cookies, some aspects of our websites may not work properly, and you may not be able to access all or part of our websites.

Your options for managing your cookie preferences are set out below:

Through the Cookie Preference Centre on our Sites

When you access our Sites we will ask you to provide consent for our use of non-essential cookies. We may repeat this request on subsequent visits to our Sites, for example if you delete cookies from your browser or we need to request new consents from you.

When we seek your consent, you will either be able to provide consent for all non-essential cookies that we would like to use, or you can tailor your cookie preferences (provide consent for some but not all non-essential cookies) using our Cookie Preference Centre. You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Configuration tab on the bottom left of our Sites.

Using your browser settings or other tools

You can block the use of cookies generally (not just in respect of our Sites) by activating the relevant settings in your browser. For more information on cookie management and blocking or deleting cookies for a wide variety of browsers, visit About Cookies.

Further, if you do not want to be tracked by Google Analytics, you can install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on (but this will only work on certain browsers). For further information on Google Analytics and its use of cookies, please consult the Google Analytics cookie notice.

What technologies are used in emails?

Please note that any emails you receive from us may contain cookies to help us to see if recipients have opened an email and understand how recipients have interacted with it. Once you click on an email that contains a cookie, your contact information may subsequently be cross-referenced to the source email and/or the relevant cookie. If you have enabled images, cookies may be set on your computer or mobile device. Cookies will also be set if you click on any link within the email.

If you do not wish to accept cookies from any one of our emails, simply close the email before downloading any images or clicking on any links. You can also set your browser to restrict cookies or to reject them entirely. These settings will apply to all cookies whether included on websites or in emails.

In some instances, depending on your email or browser settings, cookies in an email may be automatically accepted (for example, when you’ve added an email address to your address book or safe senders list). Please refer to your email browser or device instructions for more information on this.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Notice.

Changes to this cookie notice

We may update our Cookie Notice from time to time. This might be to reflect a change in the law or to accommodate a change in our business practices and the way we use cookies. We recommend that you check here periodically for any changes to our Cookie Notice.

This Cookie Notice was last updated on 25 October 2023

What types of cookies do we use and what are they for?

We use the following types of cookies:

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to monitor its performance.

Functional cookies

These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.

Targeting cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.