Legal & site information

Cookie Policy

This policy explains how Rethink & Reuse uses cookies and similar technologies on this website. It covers what cookies are, which ones we set, why we set them, and how you can control them.

Rethink & Reuse is an editorial website based in the United Kingdom. We publish practical guides on zero waste living, upcycling projects and low waste home habits. If you have a question about this policy, you can use the details on our contact page.

Read the privacy policy Contact us

A UK kitchen worktop with a folded cloth, a glass jar and a glazed tile

A UK kitchen worktop with a mug, a clip-lid storage jar and a folded tea towel

The short version

A cookie is a small text file. It helps this site remember choices you have made, such as your cookie preferences, and it helps us understand which guides people actually read.

What cookies are

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. They allow the site to remember your actions and preferences over time, such as language or display settings. Some cookies are deleted when you close your browser, while others remain for a set period. Similar technologies, such as local storage, work in comparable ways.

Two kinds of duration matter here. A session cookie lasts only while your browser is open and is cleared when you close it. A persistent cookie stays on your device for a defined period, or until you delete it yourself. Neither kind is a program: a cookie cannot run on your device, cannot read other files, and cannot install anything.

Cookies on this site are set on the rethinkandreuse.co.uk domain, or by the providers described further down this page. Where a provider sets a cookie, that provider processes the data on our behalf and under our instructions.

Cookies we use

We keep the list short. Essential cookies are needed for the site to function, including remembering the cookie choice you make. Analytics cookies tell us which guides are read and how visitors find them, so we can fix what is broken and drop what is not working. Analytics data is aggregated and is not used to identify you personally.

Essential cookies

Essential cookies are required for core features, including security and your cookie choices. Without them, parts of the site may not work as intended. A typical example is the record of whether you accepted or declined analytics when the consent notice appeared: without that record we would have to ask you again on every page.

These cookies do not track you across other websites and are not used for advertising. You cannot switch them off through our consent controls, because doing so would break basic behaviour such as remembering your own preference. You can still remove them through your browser settings if you prefer, understanding that the notice may then reappear.

What it does: Stores your cookie preferences so the notice does not repeat on every page
Set by: Rethink & Reuse, on this domain
Used for advertising: No

Analytics cookies

Analytics cookies record limited information about your visit, such as the pages you view and how you arrived at the site. We use this to see which guides are useful and to fix problems, for example a page that people leave quickly because the answer is buried.

The data is reviewed in aggregate, and individual visits are not singled out. If you decline analytics in the consent notice, no analytics cookies are placed and your visit is not counted. Declining does not limit any part of the site, including the guides on zero waste living or the upcycling project pages.

Analytics cookies are not used to build advertising profiles, and we do not sell or pass on browsing data from this site.

Third-party cookies

Some cookies may be set by service providers who support hosting or analytics. These providers process data on our behalf under contract. We do not use third-party cookies for advertising or for sharing your data with unrelated parties.

When a provider changes how it handles data, we review the change before it reaches this site. Providers are only given the access needed to deliver their part of the service: hosting the pages, or counting visits in aggregate. They are not permitted to use what they see for their own marketing.

What our providers may see

Which pages were requested, and when

A broad referral source, such as a search engine or a link from another site

Basic device and browser type, so pages can be served in a readable form

Nothing that identifies you by name, and nothing used to build an advertising profile

Managing cookies

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers let you block cookies entirely, though this may affect how the site works. You can also clear cookies already stored on your device. Guidance is available in the help section of your browser.

Step one — check your settings

Open your browser preferences and look for the privacy or cookies section. Every mainstream browser keeps the controls in roughly the same place, and the help pages explain each option in plain wording.

Step two — clear what is stored

Clearing stored cookies removes your saved preference for this site, so the consent notice will appear again on your next visit. That is expected behaviour, not an error.

Step three — change your choice

If you want to alter what this site is allowed to store, clear the saved preference and then answer the consent notice again with the option you prefer. Declining analytics leaves the guides fully readable.

Blocking everything is a legitimate choice, but it has consequences worth knowing. Some sites stop remembering your preferences, sign-in states break, and shopping baskets empty themselves when you move between pages. On this site, blocking cookies mainly means the consent notice cannot be remembered, so you will see it again on each visit.

Browser settings also apply to mobile browsers separately from desktop, so if you use this site on a phone and a laptop you may need to change the setting in both places.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy if our use of cookies changes or if the law requires it. The current version is always published on this page. Material changes will be noted where appropriate, and continued use of the site means you accept the revised policy.

If a future change introduces a new purpose for cookies, we will ask for your agreement before those cookies are set rather than relying on this page alone. Nothing here reduces the rights you have under UK data protection law.

Questions about cookies

Do cookies collect personal details like my name or address?

The cookies described on this page do not record your name, postal address or payment details. They hold preference records and aggregated visit information. Where you choose to send us a message through the contact form, that message is handled separately from cookies and is covered by our privacy policy.

Do I have to accept analytics cookies to read the guides?

No. Declining analytics leaves every page available, from the zero waste tips for beginners through to the upcycling projects and the composting at home guide. You will simply not be counted, and we will not receive the aggregate signal that a page was visited.

Where can I complain about how cookies are used?

Please write to us first so we have a chance to put things right. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can raise the matter with the UK Information Commissioner's Office, which handles complaints about data protection and cookies.

When does this policy take effect?

The version published on this page is the one in force. It applies from the moment you begin using the site. If we change what we store or why we store it, we will publish the revised version here before the change takes effect.

Contact

For questions about this policy or how cookies are used, use the contact page. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office if you are not satisfied with our response.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 20 7946 0821
Address: 42 Bramley Road, London, N14 4HR, United Kingdom
Working hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Where to go next

If the cookie notice made sense but you are not sure what this site is for, the pages below are the best place to start. They cover the guides, the house rules, and how to reach a person.

Read the privacy policy Read the terms of service About Rethink & Reuse Contact us