Cookies – Privacy and Your rights

Cookies are used to uniquely identify a person and therefore at Octopus we treat them as personal identifiable information. Cookies are used for analytics and advertising to improve the experience and relevance of our websites. At Octopus we want our customers to understand what cookies are by being jargon free, whilst also being transparent regarding how we use them, please see the What are cookies? What cookies do we use? and How do I turn cookies off? so you are fully aware.

As a user of our website we want you to have a choice and by simply browsing our website does not mean you agree to the use of cookies. We ask you when you first visit our website via a pop-up banner to accept or reject the use of cookies, this pop-up clearly explains why we use them and ask you to make an affirmative action by clicking Continue. If you did click accept and wish to withdraw your consent, simply click on the cookie button at the bottom of our website.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your browser or device by websites, apps, online media, and advertisements. There are different types of cookies. Cookies served by the entity that operates the domain you are visiting are called “first party cookies.” Therefore, cookies served by the Octopus Group whist you visit www.octopusgroup.com are first party cookies.

Cookies served by companies that are not operating the domain you’re visiting are called “third party cookies.” For example, we may allow Google to set a cookie on your browser while you visit www.octopusgroup.com, and that would be a third-party cookie. Cookies may also endure for different periods of time. “Session Cookies” only last only as long as your browser is open.

These are deleted automatically once you close your browser. Other cookies are “persistent cookies” meaning that they survive after your browser is closed. For example, they may recognise your device when you re-open your browser and browse the internet again.

What cookies do we use?

We use the following cookies:

Analytical and performance cookies. We may use analytics service providers in relation to the Octopus Group websites’ traffic analysis and reporting. Analytics service providers generate statistical and other information about the use of the Octopus Group websites by using cookies. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how often visitors return to the Octopus Group websites, how long they stay and how visitors move around the Octopus Group websites when they are using them. This helps us to improve the way the Octopus Group websites work, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily. The information generated relating to the Octopus Group websites may be used to create reports about the use of the Octopus Group websites and the analytics service provider will also store this information.

Advertising and targeting cookies. These cookies record your visit to the Octopus Group websites, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed to other websites. We will use this information to try and make the Octopus Group websites and other websites that you visit more relevant to your interests. We may also share this information with others, within the Octopus Group and carefully selected third parties for this purpose.

Functionality cookies. We may use functional cookies that allow us to remember choices you have made in relation to the Octopus Group websites so as to provide a more personalised experience and enhanced user experience by delivering content specific to your interests.

Strictly necessary cookies – Third party cookies

We try and make it easy to share content and to see what content is popular on those networks. We add buttons to allow people to easily share to those networks. When we include these social plugins’, it gives those sites the flexibility to use cookies. They can’t read any cookies we set from our Octopus Group websites, and we can’t read any cookies they set, but it lets them do the same kind of traffic measuring that we do on the rest of the Octopus Group websites, and it also lets them know whether you’re logged in. Other websites and services (including, for example, advertising networks, providers of external services like web traffic analysis services and content recommendation engines) may also use cookies, over which we have no control. These cookies are likely to be analytical/performance cookies or targeting cookies.

Octopus Group websites uses cookies to distinguish you from other users and to improve your experience on the Octopus Group websites and to recommend content that may be of interest to you. When you visit the Octopus Group websites we will ask you whether you agree to our use of cookies.

You can indicate your acceptance of our use of cookies by clicking “OK” in the appropriate place on the banner that appears on the Octopus Group websites. However, please note that if you do not click “OK” but continue to browse the Website, you will be deemed to have accepted our use of cookies in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to our use of cookies, then you may continue to use the Octopus Group websites but your browsing experience may be affected. You can find out more below about what cookies are, the cookies we use and how to switch off cookies.

How Do I turn cookies off?

You can use your browser settings to accept or reject new cookies and to delete existing cookies. You can also set your browser to notify you each time new cookies are placed on your computer or other device.

If you would like to opt out of cookies, you can change the settings on your internet browser to reject cookies. You can find more detailed information about how you can manage cookies at the All About Cookies and Your Online Choices websites. Please note that if you do set your browser to reject cookies, you may not be able to use the features of the Octopus Group websites.

This Privacy Policy may change from time to time and, if it does, the up-to-date version will always be available on our Website. Please note that by continuing to use our Website you are agreeing to any updated versions.