Cookie Policy

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device when you visit. They allow the website to remember things about your visit — for example, your language preference, your cookie consent choice, or items in a shopping basket. Cookies are widely used across the web and are not inherently harmful, but they can be used to track your activity across sites in ways that raise privacy concerns.

This Cookie Policy explains, in plain English, what cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can control them. It is written to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), which together govern the use of cookies on websites accessed from the United Kingdom.

This Cookie Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which sets out how we handle your personal data more broadly.

2. Types of cookies

Cookies can be categorised in several ways:

• By duration: Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a set period (or until you delete them).
• By source: First-party cookies are set by the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies are set by a different domain (typically an analytics or advertising provider).
• By purpose: Strictly necessary cookies are required for the site to function. Functional cookies enhance your experience. Analytics cookies help us understand how the site is used. Advertising cookies are used to serve targeted ads.

Under PECR, we may set strictly necessary cookies without your consent. All other cookies require your opt-in consent before they are set.

3. Cookies we use

The table below summarises every cookie that may be set when you visit How Many Camels Am I Worth. We use a minimal set of first-party cookies by default, plus optional Google AdSense advertising cookies (third-party) if you choose to accept them.

That’s our first-party cookies (3 total) plus 4 Google AdSense advertising cookies that are only set if you opt in. No Google Analytics. No Meta Pixel. No other third-party advertising networks. Full details of Google AdSense cookies are in our dedicated Advertising & Cookies Policy.

4. Essential cookies

The hcaw_cc cookie is the only essential cookie we set. It stores a record of your cookie consent preferences (which optional categories you have accepted or rejected) so that we do not have to show you the cookie banner on every visit. This cookie is strictly necessary for the Site to function in line with your choices, and is set as soon as you interact with the cookie banner.

The cookie contains a small JSON string indicating your preferences — for example {"analytics":false,"functional":true,"ads":false}. It does not contain any personally identifying information.

5. Analytics cookies

If you opt in, we use a privacy-friendly, GDPR-compliant analytics tool — either Plausible or Fathom — to collect aggregate, anonymised usage data. These tools are deliberately chosen because they:

• Do not use cross-site tracking;
• Do not collect personally identifying information (no IP addresses are stored);
• Do not set persistent identifiers that can be used to track you across the web;
• Comply with UK GDPR, EU GDPR and CCPA without requiring cookie banners themselves.

The analytics data we collect, if you opt in, includes: total page views, approximate country (derived from anonymised IP, not stored), referring website, browser type, device type, and the page you landed on. This data is aggregated and cannot be used to identify you personally. We use it to understand which content is most popular and to improve the Site.

We do not use Google Analytics, which collects more detailed data and sets persistent cross-site tracking cookies.

6. Functional cookies

If you opt in, the hcaw_mode cookie remembers the calculator mode (self / partner / mate) you last selected, so that on a repeat visit the calculator opens in the same mode. This is a small quality-of-life feature that we have made opt-in to minimise unnecessary cookies.

The cookie contains a single short string — for example partner — and nothing else. It does not contain any personal data.

7. Cookies we don’t use

For clarity, here are the cookies and tracking technologies we deliberately do not use on this Site:

• No Google Analytics. We have chosen not to use GA because of the breadth of personal data it collects and the cross-site tracking it enables.
• No Meta Pixel or Facebook advertising. We do not run Meta’s advertising network on the Site.
• No social media tracking pixels. The social share buttons on the calculator results page link directly to the social platforms (X, Facebook, WhatsApp) and do not embed third-party tracking scripts. No data is shared with those platforms unless you actively click a share button.
• No fingerprinting. We do not use browser fingerprinting or any other technique to identify you without your consent.
• No remarketing tags. We do not track you across other websites to show you targeted adverts (other than via Google AdSense, which only applies if you’ve accepted advertising cookies).

The only third-party advertising network we use is Google AdSense, and only if you opt in via the cookie banner. If you reject advertising cookies, AdSense runs in “limited ads” mode (no personalisation cookies). See our Advertising & Cookies Policy for full details.

8. Third-party cookies

If you opt in to advertising cookies, Google AdSense sets third-party cookies on your device (the __gads, __gpi, IDE and NID cookies listed in the table in section 3). These cookies are set by Google’s domains (google.com and doubleclick.net), not by howmanycamelsamiworth.co.uk, but they are triggered by our pages.

If we add any other third-party service in the future that sets cookies (for example, a newsletter subscription form), we will update this Cookie Policy and seek your consent before that service is enabled.

9. Consent and control

When you first visit the Site, a cookie banner is displayed explaining the categories of cookies we use and asking for your consent for the optional categories. You can:

• Accept all — essential, functional, analytics AND advertising cookies will be set. Google AdSense will run in personalised ads mode.
• Reject all optional — only the essential consent cookie will be set. AdSense will run in “limited ads” (non-personalised) mode.
• Manage preferences — toggle each optional category on or off individually, including advertising cookies specifically, then save your choice.

You can change your preferences at any time using the cookie control panel at the top of this page, or by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting the Site (which will re-trigger the cookie banner).

Under PECR Regulation 6, you may withdraw your consent to non-essential cookies at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before the withdrawal.

10. Browser controls

You can also control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most modern browsers allow you to:

• View all cookies stored on your device;
• Delete individual or all cookies;
• Block all cookies or only third-party cookies;
• Set rules for which sites are allowed to set cookies;
• Browse in “private” or “incognito” mode, which prevents cookies from being stored after you close the window.

Instructions for managing cookies in popular browsers:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
• Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data

If you disable all cookies, the Site will still function (the calculator will still work, you just won’t see your last selected mode on repeat visits), but you may see the cookie banner each time you visit.

11. Cookie retention

The retention period for each cookie is set out in the table in section 3. In summary:

• hcaw_cc (essential consent cookie): 12 months
• hcaw_mode (functional): 30 days
• hcaw_analytics (analytics flag): 12 months
• __gads & __gpi (Google AdSense): 13 months
• IDE (Google DoubleClick): 2 years
• NID (Google): 6 months

After the retention period expires, the cookie is automatically deleted by your browser. If you have opted in to analytics, the analytics tool’s own first-party cookie is typically retained for 1–2 years, depending on the provider.

12. Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time, particularly if we add new cookies or change the way we use existing ones. When we do, we will revise the “Effective” date at the top of this page and may post a prominent notice on the Site. Any new non-essential cookies will only be set after you have given your consent.

13. Contact us

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