Cookie Policy
metals4U Cookie Policy
Last Updated: 18 July 2025
This Cookie Policy explains how metals4U ("we," "us," or "our") uses cookies and similar technologies on our website, www.metals4u.co.uk. It should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy, which explains how we handle your personal data.
1. What are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site. Cookies allow a website to "remember" your actions and preferences over a period of time, so you don't have to keep re-entering them whenever you come back to the site or browse from one page to another.
2. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies for various purposes to enhance your experience on our website, improve our services, and deliver relevant content and advertising.
Specifically, we use cookies to:
- Make our website function correctly: Essential cookies enable basic features and secure areas of the website.
- Remember your preferences: Cookies help us recall your settings, such as language preferences or items in your shopping cart.
- Analyse website performance and usage: We use cookies to understand how visitors interact with our website, which pages are most popular, and to identify areas for improvement.
- Provide personalised content and advertisements: Cookies help us tailor content and show you more relevant ads based on your interests and Browse behaviour.
- Track conversions and optimise marketing efforts: We use cookies to understand the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.
3. Types of Cookies We Use
Our website uses different types of cookies:
a) Essential (Strictly Necessary) Cookies
These cookies are fundamental for our website to operate correctly. They enable core functionality such as secure login, placing items in your shopping cart, and making payments. Our website cannot function properly without these cookies. We do not need to obtain your consent for these cookies, as they are strictly necessary for providing the service you have requested.
Purpose: Enable core website functionality, security, session management.
Examples: Session cookies (to keep you logged in), shopping cart cookies, security cookies.
Duration: Session-based (deleted when you close your browser) or short-term persistent.
b) Performance/Analytics Cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, such as which pages are visited most often, the time spent on pages, and if they encounter any error messages. This data is aggregated and anonymised, meaning it does not directly identify you. We use this information to monitor and improve the performance of our website.
Purpose: Website analytics, performance monitoring, understanding user behaviour.
Examples: Google Analytics cookies (though we anonymise IP addresses where possible).
Duration: Persistent (can remain on your device for varying periods, from a few minutes to several years).
Consent Required: Yes (non-essential).
c) Functionality Cookies
These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your username, language, or region) and provide enhanced, more personalised features. They can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts, and other parts of web pages that you can customise.
Purpose: Remembering preferences, personalising user experience, providing enhanced features.
Examples: Remembering login details (if you choose "remember me"), displaying recently viewed products.
Duration: Persistent (can remain on your device for varying periods).
Consent Required: Yes (non-essential).
d) Marketing/Targeting Cookies
These cookies are used to track your Browse habits and activity across different websites to build a profile of your interests. They are typically set by third-party advertising networks with our permission. They are used to deliver more relevant advertisements to you and measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. If you switch off these cookies, you will still see advertisements, but they may be less relevant to you.
Purpose: Targeted advertising, retargeting, ad campaign measurement, social media integration.
Examples: Cookies set by Google Ads (for remarketing), social media pixels (e.g., Facebook Pixel) for audience building.
Duration: Persistent (can remain on your device for varying periods).
Consent Required: Yes (non-essential).
4. First-Party vs. Third-Party Cookies
First-Party Cookies: These are cookies set directly by our website (metals4U). They are used to improve your experience on our site, such as remembering your login or shopping cart items.
Third-Party Cookies: These cookies are set by a domain other than our website. They are typically used for analytics, advertising, or integrating third-party services (e.g., embedded videos, social media sharing buttons). We ensure that any third parties we work with comply with data protection laws.
5. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Under UK GDPR, we are required to obtain your consent for all non-essential cookies. When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie banner providing you with options to manage your cookie preferences.
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:
- Clicking on the "Cookie Settings" or "Manage Consent" link.
- Adjusting your browser settings: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can usually:
- Block all cookies.
- Block only third-party cookies.
- Be notified when a cookie is being set.
- Delete existing cookies.
Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect the functionality of our website and your user experience. For specific instructions on how to manage cookies in popular browsers, you can typically find guides by searching online (e.g., "how to manage cookies in Chrome," )
Opting out of Google's use of cookies: You can opt out of Google's use of cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page.
6. List of Cookies Used on Our Site
Below is a list of the common cookies that may be used on our website. Please note that this list may not be exhaustive and may be updated periodically as we change or add new services. We recommend reviewing this policy regularly.
Necessary (34)
Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Maximum Storage Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ga [x2] | www.googletagmanager.com www.googletagmanager.com |
Registers a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the website. | 2 years | HTTP Cookie |
| _GRECAPTCHA | google.com | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. This is beneficial for the website, in order to make valid reports on the use of their website. | 180 days | HTTP Cookie |
| _hjTLDTest [x2] | script.hotjar.com script.hotjar.com |
Detects the SEO-ranking for the current website. This service is part of a third-party statistics and analysis service. | Session | HTTP Cookie |
| all | www.metals4u.co.uk | Tracks the user’s interaction with the website’s search-bar-function. This data can be used to present the user with relevant products or services. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| CookieConsent | consent.cookiebot.com | Stores the user's cookie consent state for the current domain | 1 year | HTTP Cookie |
| form_key | www.metals4u.co.uk | Ensures visitor browsing-security by preventing cross-site request forgery. This cookie is essential for the security of the website and visitor. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| mage-banners-cache-storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | Session | HTTP Cookie |
| mage-banners-cache-storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mage-banners-cache-timeout | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mage-cache-sessid | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| mage-cache-storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| mage-cache-storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | Used to optimize the loading speed on the website. This is done by pre-loading some procedures in the visitors' browser. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mage-cache-storage-section-invalidation | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is used in context with load balancing - This optimizes the response rate between the visitor and the site, by distributing the traffic load on multiple network links or servers. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| mage-cache-storage-section-invalidation | www.metals4u.co.uk | Used to optimize the loading speed on the website. This is done by pre-loading some procedures in the visitors' browser. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mage-cache-timeout | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is necessary for the cache function. A cache is used by the website to optimize the response time between the visitor and the website. The cache is usually stored on the visitor’s browser. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mage-messages | www.metals4u.co.uk | Necessary for the functionality of the website's chat-box function. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| PHPSESSID | www.metals4u.co.uk | Preserves user session state across page requests. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| product_data_storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | Determines which products the user has viewed, allowing the website to promote related products. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| product_data_storage | www.metals4u.co.uk | Necessary for the compare-products function on the website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| rc::a | gstatic.com | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. This is beneficial for the website, in order to make valid reports on the use of their website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| rc::b | gstatic.com | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. | Session | HTML Local Storage |
| rc::c | gstatic.com | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. | Session | HTML Local Storage |
| rc::f | gstatic.com | This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| recently_compared_product | www.metals4u.co.uk | Necessary for the compare-products function on the website. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| recently_compared_product | www.metals4u.co.uk | This cookie is used to determine which products the visitor has viewed. This information is used to promote related products and optimize ad-efficiency. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| recently_compared_product_previous | www.metals4u.co.uk | Necessary for the compare-products function on the website. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| recently_compared_product_previous | www.metals4u.co.uk | Collects information on which products have been viewed by the visitor - This is used for optimizing the specific visitor's navigation on the website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| recently_viewed_product | www.metals4u.co.uk | Determines which products the user has viewed, allowing the website to promote related products. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| recently_viewed_product_previous | www.metals4u.co.uk | Collects information on which products have been viewed by the visitor - This is used for optimizing the specific visitor's navigation on the website. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| recently_viewed_product_previous | www.metals4u.co.uk | Collects information on which products have been viewed by the visitor - This is used for optimizing the specific visitor's navigation on the website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| test_cookie | doubleclick.net | Used to check if the user's browser supports cookies. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| used | www.metals4u.co.uk | Tracks the user’s interaction with the website’s search-bar-function. This data can be used to present the user with relevant products or services. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
Preferences (2)
Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Maximum Storage Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| recently_viewed_product | www.metals4u.co.uk | Collects information on which products have been viewed by the visitor - This is used for optimizing the specific visitor's navigation on the website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| twk_idm_key | embed.tawk.to | Allows the website to recoqnise the visitor, in order to optimize the chat-box functionality. | Session | HTTP Cookie |
Statistics (7)
Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Maximum Storage Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _ga_# [x2] | www.googletagmanager.com www.googletagmanager.com |
Used by Google Analytics to collect data on the number of times a user has visited the website as well as dates for the first and most recent visit. | 2 years | HTTP Cookie |
| _hjSession_# | script.hotjar.com | Collects statistics on the visitor's visits to the website, such as the number of visits, average time spent on the website and what pages have been read. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| _hjSessionUser_# | script.hotjar.com | Collects statistics on the visitor's visits to the website, such as the number of visits, average time spent on the website and what pages have been read. | 1 year | HTTP Cookie |
| hjActiveViewportIds | hotjar.com | This cookie contains an ID string on the current session. This contains non-personal information on what subpages the visitor enters – this information is used to optimize the visitor's experience. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| hjViewportId | hotjar.com | Saves the user's screen size in order to adjust the size of images on the website. | Session | HTML Local Storage |
| TawkConnectionTime | embed.tawk.to | Allows the website to recoqnise the visitor, in order to optimize the chat-box functionality. | Session | HTTP Cookie |
Marketing (16)
Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Maximum Storage Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _gcl_au [x2] | www.googletagmanager.com www.googletagmanager.com |
Used by Google AdSense for experimenting with advertisement efficiency across websites using their services. | 3 months | HTTP Cookie |
| _gcl_ls | www.googletagmanager.com | Tracks the conversion rate between the user and the advertisement banners on the website - This serves to optimise the relevance of the advertisements on the website. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| _uetsid | bing.com | Used to track visitors on multiple websites, in order to present relevant advertisement based on the visitor's preferences. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| _uetsid [x2] | bat.bing.com bat.bing.com |
Collects data on visitor behaviour from multiple websites, in order to present more relevant advertisement - This also allows the website to limit the number of times that they are shown the same advertisement. | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| _uetsid_exp | bing.com | Contains the expiry-date for the cookie with corresponding name. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| _uetvid | bing.com | Used to track visitors on multiple websites, in order to present relevant advertisement based on the visitor's preferences. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| _uetvid | bat.bing.com | Used to track visitors on multiple websites, in order to present relevant advertisement based on the visitor's preferences. | 1 year | HTTP Cookie |
| _uetvid_exp | bing.com | Contains the expiry-date for the cookie with corresponding name. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| clerk-visitor-id | api.clerk.io | Tracks the user’s interaction with the website’s search-bar-function. This data can be used to present the user with relevant products or services. | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| IDE | doubleclick.net | Used by Google DoubleClick to register and report the website user's actions after viewing or clicking one of the advertiser's ads with the purpose of measuring the efficacy of an ad and to present targeted ads to the user. | 400 days | HTTP Cookie |
| MSPTC | bing.com | This cookie registers data on the visitor. The information is used to optimize advertisement relevance. | 1 year | HTTP Cookie |
| MUID | bing.com | Used widely by Microsoft as a unique user ID. The cookie enables user tracking by synchronising the ID across many Microsoft domains. | 1 year | HTTP Cookie |
| pagead/1p-conversion/#/ | google.com | Unclassified | Session | Pixel Tracker |
| pagead/1p-user-list/# | google.com | Tracks if the user has shown interest in specific products or events across multiple websites and detects how the user navigates between sites. This is used for measurement of advertisement efforts and facilitates payment of referral-fees between websites. | Session | Pixel Tracker |
Unclassified (11)
Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies.
| Name | Provider | Purpose | Maximum Storage Duration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| mage-customer-login | www.metals4u.co.uk | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms_event_145774054 | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-experienceConfigVersion | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-lastEvents | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-pageviews | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-session | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-sessionId | form-assets.mailchimp.com | Unclassified | Session | HTTP Cookie |
| mcforms-145774054-state | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| mcforms-145774054-timeQueueEvents | chimpstatic.com | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
| pageLoads | www.metals4u.co.uk | Unclassified | 1 day | HTTP Cookie |
| sc-tracking-data | www.metals4u.co.uk | Unclassified | Persistent | HTML Local Storage |
7. Changes to This Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our use of cookies or for legal or regulatory reasons. Any changes will be posted on this page, and we encourage you to review this policy periodically.
8. Further Information
If you have any questions about our use of cookies or this policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
Email: info@metals4u.co.uk
Postal Address: Data Protection Officer, metals4U Ltd, Armitage Works, Sandbeck Way, Sandbeck Industrial Estate, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 7DN
Phone: 01937 534318
