Cookies make websites work better

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer by websites or sometimes by e-mails. They provide useful information to companies. For you the user, it means you can use the site more efficiently, for example you don't need to re-enter details each time you visit. Cookies also make sure you receive relevant information from us.

We use two types of cookies on our websites:

• Session cookies, which are deleted after each visit.
• Persistent cookies, which remain in place throughout multiple visits to our sites.

All of these cookies are essential for using our websites successfully.

Session cookies are used by a server to store information about activities on our sites so that users can easily pick up where they left off on those sites. As a rule, websites don't have a "memory". Cookies tell the server what pages to show the user so the user doesn't have to remember or start navigating the site all over again. Cookies act as a sort of “bookmark” within our sites.

Persistent or tracking cookies are used to store user preferences. You can restrict, delete or disable cookies via your browser's settings if you wish, but this will restrict the functions that you're able to carry out on our sites. For more information about how to disable cookies, please go to the About cookies website.

Here’s a list of our cookies plus a brief description:

• ROUTEID, SERVERID: These cookies are set to always direct the user to the same server.
• XSRF TOKEN: Used to prevent Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF). CSRF is an attack on a computer system where the attacker makes a transaction in a web application.
• JSESSIONID: This cookie identifies you as a visitor between different pages and stores specific properties and settings regarding the display of teasers and the like. This cookie will be deleted automatically after leaving the website.
• notepad: In this cookie we remember the items of the watch list.
• productComparison: In this cookie we remember the articles in the product comparison.
• hansgrohe-cookie-seen: This cookie is set when the user has seen the cookie hint.
• cb-enabled: This cookie stores the user's decision as to whether he has consented to the cookie policy or not.
• inspiration-tool-like: This cookie stores the likes in the inspirational tool section.

Third party cookies:

• Google Analytics: _ga, _dc_gtm_UA-xxxx-y (specific country codes): These cookies are used to collect statistical information about user behavior in order to improve the websites. These cookies collect information in anonymous form, e.g. the number of visitors, from which side the visitor found us and which pages were visited. This information will be stored beyond the end of the visit and provided on the next visit.
• Surveymonkey: When participating in the survey on the website, it comes to the use of cookies by SurveyMonkey. Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
• Youtube: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
• NewRelic: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
• Yellowmap: Detailed information on the cookies used can be found on the following website or on request directly from the provider.
• Live chat: These cookies enable use of our live chat function. Detailed information on the cookies used here can be found on the following website or from the service provider directly upon request.
• Google reCAPTCHA: This website uses the “reCAPTCHA” service by Google Inc. (“Google”) so that it can differentiate between cases when the forms provided on this website are completed by a natural person or misused by automated machine processing. This involves sending the IP address and possibly other data required by Google for reCAPTCHA to Google. Deviating data privacy provisions set out by Google apply here. By using the website, you consent to these data privacy regulations by implication. Please do not use the website if you object to these data privacy regulations.
• Hotjar: We use Hotjar to better understand our users’ needs and to optimise the service on this website. Hotjar technology gives us a better understanding of the user experience (e.g. how much time users spend on which pages, which links they click on, what they like and what they don’t like). This helps us to adapt our service to the feedback from our users. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to gather information on our users’ behaviour and devices (especially the device’s IP address (recorded and stored anonymously), screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), information on the browser used, location (country only) and preferred language used to display our website). Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymous profile. The information is used neither by Hotjar nor by us to identify individual users, nor is it matched with other data on individual users. You can find further information in Hotjar’s Privacy Policy here. You can opt-out of Hotjar storing your user profile and information on your visit to our website and to Hotjar’s use of tracking cookies on other websites by clicking on this opt-out link.

Marketing

We would like to inform you that we use tracking pixels to collect certain information that allows us to evaluate the results of our campaigns and user interactions with our content. Tracking pixels are invisible graphics that are activated as soon as a user accesses our website. They allow for further recognition of browsers or end devices. No personal data is stored. These technologies allow us to analyze visits to our website, as well as usage behavior, in order to display personalized advertising such as on social media networks. You can block these technologies by installing free plug-ins for your browser. 

• Facebook: Information on user behaviour is collected to optimise the advertising message. You can find more information by clicking on the following links: 
  Facebook, Lookalike Audiences
  Facebook, Custom Audiences Terms
• Pinterest: Information about user behavior is collected in order to optimize advertisements. For more information, please visit the following links: 
  Pinterest, Personalized Ads 
  Pinterest, Privacy Policy 
• Google Ads: We use advertising platforms such as Google to analyse user behaviour. This enables us to display ads that have been tailored to our users’ personal needs. More information can be found here: 
  Targeted ads 
  Advertising policies

• We use Floodlight on our website. Floodlight is a service offered by Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA; "Google"). When you visit our website, Google sets a cookie on your computer to generate a unique user ID. The content you consume is assigned to this user ID. In this way, for example, you can avoid being shown an ad that you have already seen. In addition, the cookies can be used to measure conversions. This means that it is determined whether, after you have seen or called up a corresponding ad, you have performed certain actions.

  If you do not wish to receive interest-based advertising, you can disable Google's use of cookies for these purposes by going to https://www.google.com/settings/ads Alternatively, users can deactivate the use of third-party cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative deactivation page.

  The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing and use of the data by Google, as well as the related rights and settings options for protecting the privacy of users, can be found in Google's privacy policy: Privacy Policy – Privacy & Terms – Google

If a computer is used by multiple users, accepting or rejecting the use of cookies will affect all users of that computer.