Cookie Policy

1. What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, improve user experience, and provide information to website owners. Cookies typically contain a unique identifier and may store information about your preferences, settings, and browsing behaviour.

2. How We Use Cookies

We use cookies on our website for several purposes, including maintaining essential functionality, analysing how visitors use our site, and delivering personalised advertising to help us reach customers who may be interested in our Scottish confectionery products. All non-essential cookies require your explicit consent before being activated.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We categorise cookies into three distinct types based on their function and purpose:

3.1 Essential Cookies

Purpose: Essential cookies are strictly necessary for the operation of our website. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, session management, and accessibility features. Without these cookies, services you have requested cannot be provided.

Examples:

• session_id: maintains your session state as you navigate our website
• csrf_token: security token that prevents cross-site request forgery attacks
• cookie_consent_status: records your cookie preferences and consent choices

Consent Required: No. Essential cookies are activated automatically as they are necessary for the website to function properly.

Retention Period: Session duration or up to 12 months for preference storage cookies.

3.2 Analytics Cookies

Purpose: Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. We use this data to improve our website structure, content, and user experience. These cookies measure metrics such as page views, time spent on site, bounce rates, and navigation patterns.

Tools Used: Google Analytics 4

Examples:

• _ga: distinguishes unique users and tracks user behaviour across sessions
• _ga_XXXXXXX: used by Google Analytics 4 to persist session state
• _gid: distinguishes users and stores information about how visitors use the website
• _gat: used to throttle request rate and limit data collection

Data Collection: IP addresses are anonymised. Google Analytics collects device type, browser information, operating system, geographic location (city level), pages visited, referral source, and user interactions. No personally identifiable information is collected through analytics cookies.

Consent Required: Yes. Analytics cookies are only activated after you click "Accept All Cookies" or enable them in the cookie preferences panel.

Retention Period: Up to 14 months from your last interaction with our website.

Opt-Out: You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on available at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

3.3 Marketing and Advertising Cookies

Purpose: Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites and deliver advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests. They also help us measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns by recording conversions and user actions that occur after clicking our ads.

Advertising Partners: We work with Google Ads and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) to deliver targeted advertising.

Consent Required: Yes. Marketing cookies are only activated after you explicitly consent by clicking "Accept All Cookies" or enabling them individually in the preferences panel.

Retention Period: Up to 540 days (Google Ads default retention period).

4. Third-Party Advertising Services

4.1 Google Ads and Remarketing

We use Google Ads services to advertise our Scottish sweets and confectionery products across the internet. As part of this service, the following technologies are employed:

• Google Ads Conversion Tracking: Records when users complete specific actions on our website after clicking one of our ads, such as making a purchase or submitting a contact form. This allows us to measure the return on investment of our advertising campaigns.
• Google Remarketing Tag: Enables us to show advertisements to previous visitors of our website as they browse other websites, YouTube, Gmail, and apps within the Google Display Network.
• Google Tag Manager: A tag management system that allows us to deploy and manage marketing tags without modifying website code directly.

Important Disclosure: Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's previous visits to our website and other sites across the internet. These advertisements may appear on Google services including YouTube, Gmail, Google Search results, and millions of partner websites within the Google Display Network.

4.2 Meta Pixel (Facebook/Instagram)

We use the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram platforms. The Meta Pixel may record the following information:

• Page views and time spent on our website
• Specific conversion events such as product purchases or contact form submissions
• Custom audience membership for retargeting purposes
• Device and browser information

We do not use the Meta Pixel to collect sensitive personal data, nor do we target users based on health status, financial situation, religion, political views, sexual orientation, or any other special-category attribute prohibited under Meta's advertising policies. Meta acts as an independent data controller for data collected via its Pixel and processed within its own platform.

5. Tracking Technologies in Use

In addition to cookies, we use the following tracking technologies on our website:

• Cookies: Both first-party cookies (set by our website) and third-party cookies (set by advertising partners)
• Tracking Pixels: Small invisible images embedded in web pages that allow us to track user behaviour and measure campaign performance (Google Ads tag, Meta Pixel)
• Device Identifiers: Information about your device including browser fingerprint and IP address (anonymised where possible)
• Conversion Event Tags: Code snippets that record when specific user actions occur on our website

6. Advertising Measurement and Conversion Tracking

We use conversion tracking technologies to understand which advertisements lead to valuable actions on our website, such as product purchases, contact form submissions, phone calls, or newsletter signups. This measurement allows us to evaluate campaign effectiveness, optimise our advertising spend, and allocate budget to the most successful campaigns. Conversion data may be shared with Google Ads and Meta (Facebook/Instagram) to improve targeting and measurement capabilities. This data is used solely for advertising performance measurement and is not resold to unaffiliated third parties.

7. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have complete control over which cookies are active on your device. You may manage your cookie preferences through the following methods:

7.1 Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner appears in the bottom-right corner of your screen. This banner offers three options: "Accept All Cookies" (activates all cookie categories including analytics and marketing), "Reject Non-Essential Cookies" (activates only essential cookies required for website functionality), and "Manage Preferences" (opens a detailed panel where you can enable or disable each cookie category independently). Your choice is stored in your browser for 12 months.

7.2 Cookie Preferences Panel

You may access the detailed cookie preferences panel at any time by clicking "Manage Cookie Preferences" in our website footer. This panel allows you to review each cookie category and toggle analytics and marketing cookies on or off independently. Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for basic website functionality. Changes take effect immediately upon saving your preferences.

7.3 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. You can set your browser to refuse cookies entirely, delete existing cookies, or notify you when a new cookie is set. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website and limit your ability to use certain features. Consult your browser's help documentation for specific instructions on managing cookies.

7.4 Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw your consent for analytics or marketing cookies at any time by clicking "Manage Cookie Preferences" in the website footer or by clearing cookies directly through your browser settings. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred while your consent was active. After withdrawal, we will stop using analytics and marketing cookies on your device going forward.

8. Opt-Out from Personalised Advertising

You may opt out of personalised advertising delivered by Google and other advertising networks at any time through the following services:

• Google Ads Settings: https://adssettings.google.com
• Your Online Choices (EU): https://www.youronlinechoices.eu
• Network Advertising Initiative: https://optout.networkadvertising.org
• Digital Advertising Alliance: https://optout.aboutads.info
• Meta Ad Preferences: https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/

Please note that opting out of personalised advertising does not remove advertisements entirely. You will continue to see non-personalised advertisements that are not based on your browsing behaviour or interests.

9. GDPR Compliance for EEA and UK Users

Users located in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom receive cookie consent notices in full compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR. Marketing and analytics cookies are activated solely after receiving your explicit, informed, and freely given consent under GDPR Article 6(1)(a). Your consent is recorded with a timestamp and stored securely. You may audit your consent record or request its deletion by contacting us at the email address provided at the end of this policy. Essential cookies are lawfully processed under GDPR Article 6(1)(f) as they represent our legitimate interest in maintaining website security and functionality.

10. Data Sharing with Advertising Partners

We share certain data with advertising partners for campaign delivery and measurement purposes. The recipients and categories of data shared include:

• Google LLC: Cookie identifiers, conversion events, anonymised behavioural data, remarketing lists. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Meta Platforms, Inc.: Pixel events, conversion data, custom audiences. Governed by Meta's Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy

We do not sell personal data collected through cookies. All transfers to Google and Meta operate under Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable under GDPR. Data shared with advertising partners is processed for ad targeting and campaign measurement only and is not resold to unaffiliated third parties. Google and Meta may use this data across their own platforms in accordance with their respective privacy policies.

11. International Data Transfers

Cookie data and related information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area, including the United States, where Google LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc. are based. These transfers are conducted under Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, which provide appropriate safeguards for your personal data under GDPR. A copy of the applicable Standard Contractual Clauses can be requested by contacting us directly using the contact details provided below.

12. Cookie Retention Periods

Different types of cookies have different retention periods:

• Session Cookies: Deleted automatically when you close your browser
• Essential Cookies: Up to 12 months for preference storage
• Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics 4): Up to 14 months from your last interaction with our website
• Marketing Cookies (Google Ads): Up to 540 days
• Cookie Consent Records: 3 years (audit requirement under GDPR)

13. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have the following rights regarding data collected through cookies:

• Right of Access (Art. 15): Request a copy of cookie data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification (Art. 16): Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure (Art. 17): Request deletion of your cookie data and consent records
• Right to Restriction (Art. 18): Limit how we process your data
• Right to Data Portability (Art. 20): Receive your consent records in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object (Art. 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interest
• Right to Withdraw Consent (Art. 7.3): Revoke consent at any time without penalty

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.

14. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children through cookies or any other means. If we discover that data has been collected from a person under 16 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe we may have collected data from a child should contact us immediately using the contact information below.

15. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our cookie practices, legal requirements, or technological developments. When we make material changes, we will notify you by displaying a prominent notice on our website homepage for a minimum of 14 days before the updated policy takes effect. We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we use cookies. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised. Continued use of our website after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated Cookie Policy.

16. Further Information and Privacy Policy

This Cookie Policy should be read in conjunction with our comprehensive Privacy Policy, which provides detailed information about how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data. For information about lead forms, contact requests, data sharing practices, and your broader privacy rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

17. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us: