Cookies Policy

Our Cookies Policy aims to help explain what they are, why you are collecting them, and what information cookies store.

What are Cookies?

Like most websites, MKMetals Ltd website and App uses cookies and other equivalent technologies to collect information. Where we refer to 'cookies’ in this Policy, we are referring to cookies and similar tracking technologies such as web beacons, clear GIFs and pixel tags. Cookies are small data files which are placed on your computer or other devices (such as ‘smartphones’ or ‘tablets’) as you browse this website. They are used to ‘remember’ when your computer or device accesses our websites. Cookies are essential for the effective operation of our website. They are also used to tailor the products and services offered and advertised to you, both on our website and elsewhere.

Cookies are either First Party, meaning that they are directly placed by MKMetals Ltd, or Third Party cookies, which are placed by third-party organisations.

Cookies will also either be session or persistent cookies:

Session: these are temporary cookie files, which delete automatically when you close your browser, effectively ending your session on our website
Persistent: these are cookie files that remain in place even after you have finished your session – they will either delete automatically at the end of their duration period, which varies, or can be manually removed by you.

Information Collected

Some cookies collect information about browsing and purchasing behaviour when you access this website with the same computer or device. This includes information about pages viewed, products purchased and your journey around a website. MKMetals Ltd can use cookies to monitor your browsing and purchasing behaviour. We don’t use cookies to collect or record information on your name, address or other contact details , however some of our Performance and Functional cookies (see descriptions below) will collect ‘hashed’ email addresses (so we cannot see the detail but can differentiate unique values) and the first part of a postcode. All data collected is encrypted, and not attributed to your customer record.

How Are Cookies Managed?

The cookies stored on your computer or other devices when you access our website are designed by:

MKMetals Ltd, or on behalf of and subsidiaries of MKMetals Ltd, and are necessary to let you make purchases on our website;
Third parties who participate with us in marketing programmes; and
Third parties who broadcast web banner advertisements on behalf of MKMetals Ltd.

What Do We Use Cookies For?

The main purposes for MKMetals Ltd's uses of cookies are used are to:

Ensure our website works properly and you see all the content.
Keep our website safe from security risks.
Identify any bugs or issues, and work on performance improvements across the website.
To present digital advertising to you and measure the effectiveness of these adverts.
Remember information about you, so you do not have to give it to us again.
Keep you signed in, even on different devices.
Help us understand how people are using our services, so we can make them better.
Help us personalise our website and emails for you by remembering your preferences and settings.
To find out if our emails have been read and if you find them useful.

We work with third party partners to help us carry out these activities.

What Kind of Cookies Do We Use?

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of a website and cannot be disabled in our preference centre. They include, for example, cookies that enable users to log into secure areas of a website, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services, as well displaying website content. They also set and remember your preferences with regards to the placement of other cookies. Generally, these are session cookies that expire on closing the browser but not always.

First party performance cookies

These types of cookies allow online providers to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around their website when they are using it. This assists online providers in improving the way their website works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily. Generally, these will be first party cookies (placed by MKMetals Ltd), and a mix of session and persistent cookies. Sometimes the services are provided by third parties and specialised software – which can use either first or third-party cookies.

Third party performance cookies

These are cookies that have been set by others when you visit our site to help us count the number of visitors to our site and see how they use it. This helps us improve the way the site works. This information might be used to help yourself and other visitors find what they want more easily in the future. This service is always carried out by Third Parties using specialised software – all with the aim of trying to provide a better shopping experience for you.

Functionality cookies

These are used to recognise users when they return to a website. They enable the personalisation of content, the recognition of users and remember user preferences (for example, their choice of language or region). They are generally a mix of first and third party, session and persistent cookies.

Marketing cookies

These cookies record a user's visit to a website, the individual pages visited and the links followed. If the cookie is set by a third party (for example, an adtech provider) which also monitors traffic on other websites, this type of cookie may also be used to track a user's movements across different websites and to create profiles of their general online behaviour. Information collected by tracking cookies is commonly used to serve users with targeted online advertising and personalisation. These will be first and third party cookies and mostly persistent.

How Can I Manage My Preferences and Consent?

When you first visit our website you will be presented with a ‘cookie banner’ where you can either Accept All Cookies, or open the Cookies Preference Centre to select certain categories of cookies only, or Reject All but Essential Cookies. In our Preference Centre you can also find out more about the specific cookies on our website within each category.

Your ad choices

All our adverts clearly display the Adchoices icon, in line with IAB (Internet Advertising Bureau) guidelines, which provides more information on the details collected and used for internet-based advertising, and ways to manage it. You can also directly control your preferences for receiving adverts from specific companies at the Your Online choices website.

Contact Us

If you would like to access any of your rights as listed above, or have any questions with regards to this Policy, please use the contact us section of our website.

You can also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you have any concerns or complaints with how MKMetals Ltd has handled your personal information: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

This Cookies Policy was last updated January 2024 and replaces all previous versions. This Policy is regularly reviewed and if updates and changes are made we may notify you either by email or with an announcement on social channels.