Cookie policy

What cookies are

A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your device so it can recognise you when you return or move between pages. We also use similar technologies, such as your browser’s local storage, in the same way. Cookies don’t hold your name or payment details — they hold short identifiers that let the site remember things like your basket and whether you’re signed in.

The cookies we use

We group what we use into two kinds:

• Strictly necessary — needed for the site to work. They keep you signed in, hold your shopping basket together, protect forms against misuse, and remember small display preferences (whether you’re viewing prices ex or inc VAT, and light or dark mode) and your cookie choice itself. These are set without asking, because the site can’t run without them.
• Analytics (opt-out) — anonymous Google Analytics statistics, which help us understand how the site is used and fix faults. These run unless you decline them in the cookie banner, and declining switches them off.
• Advertising (opt-in) — Google Ads, which lets us measure whether our advertising works and show you relevant adverts elsewhere. These are only set if you accept them in the cookie banner, and you can withdraw that at any time.

Until you accept, Google’s advertising tags run in a consent-aware mode that sets no advertising cookies (Google calls this Consent Mode). Declining never affects your basket, sign-in, prices or the Technical Hub.

The exact session cookie name and analytics provider may vary; the table shows the typical names so you know what to look for.

The Technical Hub & cookies

The Technical Hub — where you save products, quotes and projects — only works while you’re signed in, and staying signed in relies on a strictly-necessary session cookie. That cookie is essential, so it isn’t affected by your optional-cookie choice.

In practice that means declining optional cookies won’t stop the Hub working — you can still sign in, save items and use your basket as normal. However, if you block all cookies in your browser, you won’t be able to sign in or stay signed in, so the Hub, your saved items and your basket won’t work. If a feature genuinely needs a cookie you’ve turned off, we’ll show a short note with an “Enable” link rather than letting it fail silently.

Analytics & advertising

Where analytics are enabled, we use them only to understand how the site is used in aggregate — which pages are popular, where people run into trouble — so we can improve it. We don’t use analytics to identify you personally. Google Ads measurement tells us which adverts lead to enquiries and orders; if you accept, Google may also use that data to show you House of Canopies adverts on other sites. Analytics run unless you decline; advertising cookies are set only after you accept. Google’s Consent Mode is updated the moment you change your choice.

Managing your cookies

There are three ways to control optional cookies:

• The cookie banner shown on your first visit lets you Accept or Decline optional cookies. Accept turns on analytics and advertising; Decline turns both off.
• Change your mind any time using the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, or the small cookie button at the bottom of the screen.
• Your browser settings can block or delete cookies entirely — check your browser’s help pages for how. Note that blocking strictly-necessary cookies will stop parts of the site (sign-in, basket and the Technical Hub) from working.

Changes to this policy

We may update this cookie policy from time to time — for example, if we add a new tool or analytics provider. Any changes will appear on this page, so it’s worth checking back from time to time.