Why this policy exists
The law applies not only to traditional cookies but also to technologies that store information on, or access information from, a visitor’s device. That includes web storage and scripts as well as cookies. ConsumerWise therefore describes its use of browser storage and analytics together, rather than pretending that only files called “cookies” matter.
The current design takes a deliberately simple approach: essential preference storage is used to remember your choice, while Matomo analytics stays off until you actively allow it. ConsumerWise currently uses opt-in consent even though UK law now contains a limited statistical-purpose exception for some low-risk analytics. This policy describes what ConsumerWise actually does, not the broadest tracking the law might permit.
Essential preference storage
ConsumerWise stores one privacy-preference record in your browser under consumerwise_cookie_preferences_v2. It records the policy version, that essential storage is enabled, whether analytics is allowed, and the time the preference was updated. This information stays in local browser storage; it is not a marketing identifier and is not used to track you around other websites.
This storage is needed to remember and respect your choice. If it were removed on every page load, ConsumerWise would have to ask again on every page. Clearing site data in the browser removes the preference and causes the choice to be requested again.
What optional analytics measures
If you select Allow analytics, ConsumerWise loads Matomo from analytics.jackwhittle.co.uk. It is used to produce site-usage statistics and diagnostics: page views, popular and unpopular content, visit journeys, entry and exit pages, referrers, general browser/device information, and outbound or download-link interactions. This helps decide which guides need work, which subjects are useful, where navigation is confusing and whether a technical problem affects a class of browsers or devices.
ConsumerWise does not use this Matomo setup for advertising, retargeting, sale of audience data, cross-site profiling, demographic targeting, heatmaps, session replay or collection of the text typed into tools and templates.
ConsumerWise strips the query string and fragment from the URL supplied to Matomo before recording a page view. This is specifically intended to avoid putting a site-search phrase or another query-string value into the analytics page URL.
Storage and cookie register
| Name / pattern | Technology | When used | Purpose | Normal lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
consumerwise_cookie_preferences_v2 | Local storage | Always after you make a privacy choice | Remembers whether analytics is allowed or rejected and the preference version | Until you clear site data or ConsumerWise replaces the preference format. |
_pk_id.* | First-party Matomo cookie | Only after analytics is allowed | Stores a Matomo visitor identifier so visits can be distinguished and, depending on configuration, recognised across visits | 13 months by Matomo default. |
_pk_ses.* | First-party Matomo cookie | Only after analytics is allowed | Short-lived visit/session cookie used to group activity in the current visit | 30 minutes by Matomo default. |
_pk_ref.* | First-party Matomo cookie | Only after analytics is allowed and where relevant | Stores referrer/attribution information used by Matomo | 6 months by Matomo default. |
The * suffix varies because Matomo includes site identifiers in cookie names. Matomo may use short-lived technical cookies depending on its configuration. ConsumerWise should update this register before enabling any new analytics feature that materially changes storage or tracking.
Allowing, rejecting and changing your choice
On a first visit, the banner offers Reject analytics, Allow analytics and Manage choices. Rejecting is intended to be as straightforward as allowing. If no choice has been made, ConsumerWise does not intentionally load Matomo.
You can reopen the same control at any time using . Turning analytics off instructs Matomo to withdraw tracking consent and delete the Matomo tracking cookies that the browser allows the site to remove. You can also clear ConsumerWise site data using your browser settings.
Why ConsumerWise still asks for permission
The Data (Use and Access) Act introduced a statistical-purpose exception into the UK storage-and-access rules. The ICO explains that narrowly scoped analytics can sometimes operate without consent where the sole purpose is aggregate statistics used to improve the service, the information is not used to monitor or profile individuals, individual-level information is not retained longer than necessary for aggregation, and users have a simple free way to object.
ConsumerWise is currently configured on the more conservative basis of opt-in analytics consent. The existence of a legal exception therefore does not mean ConsumerWise silently turns analytics on. If the approach changes in future, the banner, implementation and this policy must be updated together before the new processing starts.
Third-party websites and external resources
The ConsumerWise preference controls ConsumerWise analytics only. It cannot control storage used by another website after you follow an external link. Some current tools request the public GOV.UK bank-holiday dataset; that request is made to GOV.UK to obtain the dataset, not to send your tool answers to GOV.UK.
How this policy is maintained
A cookie policy becomes unreliable if it is copied from a template and then forgotten. ConsumerWise should re-audit browser storage, scripts, analytics settings and third-party runtime resources whenever global JavaScript, analytics, embeds, advertising, forms, sign-in features or new tools are introduced. The cookie register above is intended to describe the live implementation, not hypothetical future technology.