Cookies & Storage Policy
Last updated: April 2026
Summary
Simply Horticulture does not use tracking, advertising, or analytics cookies. We do not track your activity across the web, share data with advertisers, or use any third-party analytics services such as Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or similar.
The small amount of data we do store on your device is used only to make the website function correctly — for example, remembering your shopping cart contents between page visits, or remembering that you have accepted the age verification.
What We Store
Browser localStorage (used for site functionality)
localStorage is a way for websites to remember small amounts of data on your device. Unlike cookies, this data never leaves your browser — it is not sent to our servers. We use it for:
| What we store | Why | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Age verification consent | So the age gate doesn't appear every time you visit the site | Until you clear browser data |
| Shopping cart contents | So your cart isn't emptied if you close the tab or browser | Until you clear it or complete a purchase |
| Wishlist items | So your saved products are remembered between visits | Until you remove them or clear browser data |
| Recently viewed products | To show you a list of products you've recently looked at | Up to 6 most recent items, until cleared |
| Display preferences | Things like your chosen theme settings (where applicable) | Until you change or clear them |
| Reduced-animations preference | Remembers if you've clicked "Reduce animations" in the footer, so the site keeps the animated background disabled across visits | Until you toggle it off or clear browser data |
Cookies
The website only sets cookies for logged-in account sessions. They are not set for normal browsing and are only present after you have signed in to a wholesale account at /resellers/login.
| Cookie name | Purpose | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|
sh_reseller | Wholesale account session — keeps approved resellers signed in so the shop can show their agreed pricing | 7 days, or until you sign out |
This cookie is classed as strictly necessary under GDPR/PECR rules, which means it does not require consent. It is only set after a successful sign-in and is not present for any regular customer visiting the site.
What We Don't Use
- ❌ Google Analytics or any other web analytics service
- ❌ Facebook Pixel, Meta Tracking, or any social media tracking
- ❌ Advertising cookies or remarketing tags
- ❌ Third-party trackers or fingerprinting
- ❌ Embedded YouTube/Twitter widgets that drop tracking cookies
- ❌ Cross-site tracking of any kind
Third-Party Services
The website integrates with two third-party services for specific functions. These have their own privacy policies:
- Stripe — used to process payments at checkout. Stripe sets cookies on its own checkout pages (not on simply-horticulture.com itself) for fraud prevention and payment processing. See Stripe's privacy policy.
- Let's Encrypt — provides our SSL/TLS certificate. No cookies, no tracking.
Why No Cookie Banner?
You may have noticed that this website does not show an annoying "accept cookies" popup. That's because under GDPR and the UK's Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), a consent banner is only required when a website sets non-essential cookies (tracking, advertising, analytics).
Since we use none of those, a consent banner is not legally required. We believe in keeping the site clean and respecting your time.
How to Clear Stored Data
You can clear all stored data at any time through your browser settings:
- Chrome / Edge — Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear browsing data → Cookies and site data
- Firefox — Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data
- Safari — Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
Clearing data will remove your cart, wishlist, recently viewed items, and age verification consent for the site.
Changes to This Policy
If we ever change how the website handles storage or introduce new cookies, this page will be updated and the "Last updated" date at the top will change. If we ever introduce non-essential cookies (we have no plans to), we will add a proper consent mechanism at that time.
Contact
For any questions about cookies or how we handle data:
- Email: info@simply-horticulture.com
- Privacy Policy: simply-horticulture.com/privacy
- Contact form: simply-horticulture.com/contact