Cookies Policy

About This Policy

This cookies policy explains what cookies are, how smooth-ripple uses them on our website, and how you can control your cookie preferences. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which provides additional information about how we collect and use personal data.

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit websites. They serve various purposes including remembering your preferences, enabling site functionality, and helping us understand how visitors use our website.

Cookies typically contain a unique identifier, the website name, and some data relevant to the cookie's purpose. When you return to the website, your browser sends these cookies back to the server, allowing the site to recognise you and recall relevant information.

Most websites use cookies in some capacity. They have become a standard technology for delivering functional, user-friendly web experiences.

Types of Cookies We Use

We use several categories of cookies on our website, each serving distinct purposes:

Essential Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary for our website to function properly. They enable core features such as navigation between pages, access to secure areas, and remembering your cookie preferences. Without these cookies, certain basic functionalities would not work correctly.

Essential cookies do not collect information about you that could be used for marketing purposes or tracking your browsing activity across other websites. Because they are necessary for the website to operate, these cookies are placed automatically when you visit our site and cannot be disabled through our cookie preference controls.

Analytics Cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting information about which pages are visited, how long people spend on different pages, what links are clicked, and where visitors come from before arriving at our site.

This information is aggregated and anonymised, meaning we cannot identify individual visitors from this data. We use these insights to improve our website structure, content, and user experience based on actual usage patterns.

Analytics cookies are optional. You can choose whether to accept them through our cookie preference controls. Declining analytics cookies does not affect your ability to use our website.

How We Use Cookies

We deploy cookies for specific, justified purposes that benefit website functionality and user experience:

Remembering Your Preferences

Cookies allow us to remember choices you make, such as your cookie consent preferences. This prevents you from having to repeatedly set these preferences during each visit.

Website Functionality

Certain features require cookies to operate correctly. For example, our mobile navigation menu uses cookies to remember its state, and security features rely on cookies to verify legitimate sessions.

Understanding Usage Patterns

Analytics cookies help us identify which content is most valuable to visitors, where people struggle with navigation, which pages load slowly, and how we might improve overall site structure and usability. This information guides our ongoing website improvements.

Technical Performance

Some cookies help us monitor technical performance, identify errors, and ensure our website operates efficiently across different browsers and devices.

Specific Cookies We Set

The following cookies may be set when you use our website:

Cookie Consent Cookie

Name: cookie_consent

Purpose: Stores your cookie preference choices

Duration: 12 months

Type: Essential

Session Cookie

Name: session_id

Purpose: Maintains your session as you navigate the site

Duration: Session (deleted when you close your browser)

Type: Essential

Analytics Cookie

Name: analytics_tracking

Purpose: Collects anonymous usage statistics

Duration: 24 months

Type: Analytics (optional)

Third-Party Cookies

In addition to our own cookies, third-party services we use may set their own cookies when you visit our website. We carefully select third-party providers and only work with those who respect user privacy and comply with data protection requirements.

We do not control how third parties use cookies. Their use is governed by their respective privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services if you have concerns about their data practices.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have several options for controlling how cookies are used on your device:

Our Cookie Preference Controls

When you first visit our website, a cookie banner appears allowing you to accept all cookies, reject optional cookies, or customise your preferences. You can modify these choices at any time by clearing your cookies and revisiting our site, which will trigger the banner to appear again.

Through our preference controls, you can accept or reject analytics cookies whilst essential cookies remain active to ensure basic site functionality.

Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can typically configure your browser to block all cookies, accept only first-party cookies, or prompt you before accepting cookies.

However, blocking all cookies may impact your ability to use certain website features. Some functionality may not work correctly if cookies are disabled entirely.

Each browser handles cookie controls differently. Consult your browser's help documentation for specific instructions on managing cookies in your particular browser.

Deleting Existing Cookies

You can delete cookies already stored on your device through your browser settings. This removes previously set cookies but does not prevent new cookies from being placed unless you also adjust your cookie acceptance settings.

Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers support "Do Not Track" signals that indicate users prefer not to be tracked across websites. Currently, there is no industry consensus on how to respond to these signals, and our website does not specifically respond to Do Not Track requests. However, you can control cookie usage through the preference mechanisms described above.

Cookies and Personal Data

Cookies can constitute personal data under data protection law, particularly when they can be linked to an identifiable individual. We treat cookie data in accordance with our obligations under UK data protection legislation.

Essential cookies are placed based on our legitimate interest in operating a functional website. Optional analytics cookies require your consent, which we obtain through our cookie banner when you first visit.

Data collected through cookies is subject to the same security measures, retention policies, and data protection rights described in our Privacy Policy.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this cookies policy periodically to reflect changes in technology, legal requirements, or our cookie usage practices. When we make material changes, we will update the policy on our website and may notify existing clients via email.

We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we use cookies and how you can manage your preferences.

Questions About Cookies

If you have questions about our use of cookies, how to manage your preferences, or concerns about cookie-related data processing, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Address: 42 Wellington Street, Bristol BS1 6HJ, United Kingdom

We will respond to your enquiry promptly and provide additional information or assistance as needed.