Cookie Policy
This policy explains what cookies are, which ones we use on this website, why we use them, and how you can control them. We operate a consent-first approach. No non-essential cookies are placed on your device until you make a choice.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They help the site function, remember your preferences, and — where you have consented — allow us to understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it.
In the UK, cookies are regulated by the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), which sit alongside the UK GDPR. PECR requires us to obtain your consent before placing any non-essential cookie. We collect this consent via our Cookie Preference Centre before any non-essential cookies are set.
Cookies may be first-party (set directly by veritaspharmacy.co.uk) or third-party (set by an embedded service such as Google Analytics or the Halaxy booking widget). We list all cookies by category below.
Strictly necessary
Always active. Required for the site to work. Cannot be disabled.
Analytics
Consent required. Helps us understand how visitors use the site.
Functional
Consent required. Remembers your preferences and settings.
Marketing
Not currently used. We do not run advertising cookies.
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for the website to operate. They cannot be switched off in our systems. They are set in response to actions you take — such as setting your privacy preferences, submitting a form, or logging in. No consent is required under PECR for strictly necessary cookies.
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
wordpress_sec_* |
WordPress (first party) | Security authentication — prevents cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks | Session |
wordpress_logged_in_* |
WordPress (first party) | Indicates whether the visitor is logged in. Only set for admin users — not regular site visitors. | Session |
cookie_consent |
Veritas (first party) | Stores your cookie preference so you are not asked again on every page | 12 months |
PHPSESSID |
Server (first party) | Standard PHP session ID — maintains your session as you browse between pages | Session |
Analytics cookies
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with the site — which pages are visited, how long people stay, and whether there are technical errors. This data is used in aggregate to improve the website and is never used to identify individual visitors.
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with IP anonymisation enabled. Your IP address is truncated before being sent to Google. Google Analytics data may be processed on Google servers in various countries — data transferred outside the UK is covered by Google’s Data Processing Agreement and Standard Contractual Clauses.
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga |
Google Analytics | Assigns a random anonymised client identifier to distinguish unique users. No personally identifiable information is stored. | 2 years |
_ga_[ID] |
Google Analytics 4 | Persists session state for GA4 measurement | 2 years |
_gid |
Google Analytics | Stores and updates a unique value for each page visited to distinguish users within a 24-hour period | 24 hours |
_gat |
Google Analytics | Throttles the request rate to Google’s servers to limit data collection frequency | 1 minute |
You can also opt out of Google Analytics across all websites using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On, available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera.
Functional cookies
Functional cookies allow the website to remember information that changes how the site looks or behaves — such as your accessibility preferences or whether you have dismissed a notification. They do not track you across other websites.
| Cookie name | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
vp_a11y_prefs |
Veritas (first party) | Stores your accessibility preferences — such as text size or reduced-motion settings | 6 months |
vp_dismissed_* |
Veritas (first party) | Records whether you have dismissed a site notification or announcement banner | 30 days |
Marketing and advertising cookies
We do not currently use any marketing or advertising cookies. We do not run retargeting campaigns, advertising network pixels, or social media tracking scripts on this website.
If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and our Cookie Preference Centre before placing any such cookies, and will request your explicit consent at that time.
Halaxy booking widget and third-party cookies
Our website embeds the Halaxy online booking calendar as an iframe on the Book Appointment and Services pages. When this iframe loads, Halaxy may set its own cookies on your device. These are third-party cookies governed by Halaxy’s own policies, not ours.
| Cookie / provider | Purpose | Duration | Consent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halaxy session cookies | Maintains your booking session within the Halaxy iframe — required for the booking flow to work correctly | Session | Not required (strictly necessary) |
| Halaxy preference cookies | May store timezone, language, or previously selected service within the Halaxy system | Varies | Governed by Halaxy’s own consent |
| Google Fonts | Fonts are loaded from Google’s servers. Google logs the request IP address. We self-host fonts where possible to minimise this. No persistent cookie is set. | None (request log only) | Not required |
If you prefer not to receive any third-party cookies from the Halaxy booking widget, you can book by telephone instead — our number is in the site footer and on the Contact page. Phone bookings are equally accessible and do not use the embedded widget.
How to control cookies
You have several options for managing cookies on this website and across the internet.
Cookie Preference Centre
The easiest way to manage your preferences on this site is via our Cookie Preference Centre, linked in the footer of every page. You can toggle analytics and functional cookies on or off at any time — changes take effect immediately on your next page load. Your choice is stored for 12 months.
Browser cookie settings
Every major browser lets you view, block, or delete cookies. Note that blocking all cookies will prevent many websites — including this one — from functioning normally, and the Halaxy booking widget will not load. Instructions for common browsers:
| Browser | Where to find cookie settings |
|---|---|
| Google Chrome | Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data |
| Mozilla Firefox | Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data |
| Apple Safari (Mac) | Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data |
| Microsoft Edge | Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data |
| Safari (iOS) | Settings → Safari → Privacy & Security → Block All Cookies |
| Chrome (Android) | Chrome menu → Settings → Site settings → Cookies |
Google Analytics opt-out
To opt out of Google Analytics across all websites — not just ours — install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. It prevents Google Analytics from collecting data on any website you visit.
Do Not Track
We respect browser Do Not Track (DNT) signals. If your browser sends a DNT header, we do not load Google Analytics or set any functional cookies. Strictly necessary cookies are still placed as they are required for the site to operate.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy when the cookies we use change, or for legal or operational reasons. Significant changes are reflected in the “Last reviewed” date above. The current version is always at veritaspharmacy.co.uk/cookie-policy/ — reviewed annually as a minimum.
Questions
For any questions about how we use cookies, contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@veritaspharmacy.co.uk or see our full Privacy Policy.
You are always in
control of your privacy.
Update your cookie preferences at any time — it takes under a minute and takes effect immediately on your next page load.
PECR compliant · UK GDPR aligned · Last reviewed May 2026 · Questions: privacy@veritaspharmacy.co.uk