1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device when you visit them. They allow the site to remember things — for example, that you've already chosen your cookie preferences, or to anonymously measure how many visitors a page receives. Cookies do not contain personal data unless you give it to a site directly.
2. Our position
MSA Group operates under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). Under these rules, any cookie that isn't strictly necessary requires your explicit, prior consent.
What that means in practice: when you first visit our site, we show a small banner asking whether you accept analytics cookies. Until you click "Accept", no analytics cookies are placed. If you click "Decline", they never load. Your choice is remembered for future visits.
3. Cookies we use
Strictly necessary (always active)
msa_cookie_consent — stores your cookie preferences ("accepted" or "declined") so we don't ask again on every page. Lives in your browser's local storage. No personal data; never shared with anyone. Lifespan: until you clear it or change your preferences.
msa_anno_dismissed — if we ever display an announcement bar and you dismiss it, this remembers the dismissal for that browsing session. Lifespan: until you close the tab.
Analytics (only with your consent)
Google Analytics 4 (_ga, _ga_*) — set by Google to measure aggregate website usage: which pages people visit, how they got here, how long they stay. We have configured GA with IP anonymisation. We do not use it for advertising or remarketing.
Lifespan: up to 13 months. Provider: Google Ireland Limited. Google Privacy Policy · Google's own opt-out tool
4. Cookies we do not use
For transparency, the site does not use:
- Advertising or remarketing cookies (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, etc.)
- Social media tracking pixels
- Heatmap or session-replay tools (e.g. Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity)
- Third-party chat widgets that fingerprint visitors
- Fingerprinting or device-ID services of any kind
5. Managing your preferences
You can change your decision at any time:
- On this site: click "Cookie preferences" in the footer of any page (it'll re-open the banner).
- In your browser: clear cookies/local storage for msagrp.co.uk. Next visit, the banner will reappear.
- Globally: use your browser's "Do Not Track" or "Block all cookies" setting. We respect it.
6. Third-party cookies
If you click links to third-party sites (LinkedIn, Companies House, Google services), those sites set their own cookies under their own policies — we have no control over them. Read their privacy policies before interacting.
7. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy if we add or remove cookies in future. The "Last updated" date at the top tells you when this policy last changed. We won't introduce new tracking cookies without asking for your consent again.
8. Contact
Questions about cookies or how we handle your data? Email enquiries@msagrp.co.uk, or see our full Privacy Policy.
Quick summary: we only use 2 essential cookies + Google Analytics 4 (analytics only, anonymised IP). GA only loads if you click "Accept". Decline at any time. We don't use ads, remarketing, fingerprinting, or social trackers.