1. What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file a website asks your browser to store. It lets the site remember something between pages or between visits — that you are signed in, which franchises are in your request list, whether you prefer the light or dark theme.
Some cookies are set by us. Others are set by the services we use, such as Google Analytics. Some last only until you close the browser; others stay for months.
This policy explains which ones this site uses and how to control them. It sits alongside our Privacy Policy, which covers personal information more generally.
2. Your choice, and how to change it
Nothing optional is set until you agree to it. When you first visit, a banner asks what you are happy with. Until you accept, only the strictly necessary cookies in section 3 are used.
You can change or withdraw your choice at any time using the cookie settings link in the footer of every page. Withdrawing consent stops further optional cookies; it does not delete ones already stored, which you can clear in your browser as described in section 8.
The cookies listed below were last checked against the live site on 15th October 2026. If you spot something here that no longer matches what your browser shows, please tell us.
We group cookies the same way the banner does, so what you tick there matches what you read here: Necessary, Preferences, Analytics and Advertising. Only necessary cookies are used without your agreement, because the site cannot work without them — and the law does not require consent for those.
3. Necessary cookies — always on
These make the site work. They are not used to track you, and they cannot be switched off through the banner.
| Cookie | What it does | Lasts | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
cmplz_* | Remembers the cookie choices you made, so we stop asking and so we honour them | 1 year | Us |
request_list | Remembers the franchises you have added to your request list, so they are still there when you come back | 30 days | Us |
fmf-theme | Remembers whether you chose the light or dark version of the site | 1 year | Us |
fmf_view | Remembers whether you prefer search results as a grid or a list | 30 days | Us |
fmf_sp_me | After you send an enquiry, stops the “someone just enquired” pop-ups showing you your own enquiry. It holds a scrambled code, not your email address | 24 hours | Us |
fmf_ocg | After you send an enquiry, lets you send further enquiries in one click for the rest of your visit, using the same contact details. It holds only a random reference; your details stay on our server | Until you close the browser (12 hours at most) | Us |
fmf_ocg_hint | Shows whose details a one-click enquiry will use (your name and a shortened email address), so you can switch it off with “Not you?” | Until you close the browser | Us |
fmf_advertise_tier | Remembers which advertising package you were looking at while you sign up | 1 hour | Us |
PHPSESSID | Holds your session together while you fill in a form. Only set when you actually need one — not on ordinary browsing | Until you close the browser | Us |
wordpress_logged_in_* | Keeps you signed in to your account | Session, or 14 days if you choose to stay signed in | Us |
wp-settings-* | Remembers screen preferences inside your account area. Only if you have an account and are signed in | 1 year | Us |
__stripe_mid, __stripe_sid | Help prevent card fraud when you pay for an advertising package. Only set on the checkout pages | Up to 1 year | Stripe |
__cf_bm | Checks that a request is genuine and not from a malicious bot | 30 minutes | Cloudflare |
Live chat. If you click “Chat with us”, our chat provider Tawk.to sets the cookies below to keep the conversation going. Nothing is loaded from Tawk.to until you click the button, so these are only set because you asked to start a chat.
| Cookie | What it does | Lasts | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
twk_* | Recognises your chat, so you can carry on the conversation as you move between pages | Varies, set by Tawk.to | Tawk.to |
TawkConnectionTime | Keeps the chat connection working | Varies, set by Tawk.to | Tawk.to |
We do not currently set any cookies in the Preferences category. The banner still lists it, so that the choice is there if that changes.
4. Analytics cookies — only if you agree
These tell us how the site is used — which pages are read, which searches are run, where visitors arrive from — so we can improve it. They are not used to identify you personally.
| Cookie | What it does | Lasts | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
_ga | Distinguishes one visitor from another | 2 years | Google Analytics |
_ga_* | Keeps a visit together as a single session | 2 years | Google Analytics |
burst_* | Counts visits for our own on-site statistics. This data stays on our servers and is not shared | Session | Us |
Our Google Analytics property is configured with IP anonymisation, and we use Google Consent Mode — which means that if you decline analytics, Google’s tag is loaded but prevented from setting these cookies or sending identifying data.
We also count views and clicks on individual franchise listings so advertisers can see how their listing performs. That counting uses no cookies at all: it stores a one-way scrambled fingerprint of your IP address and browser, which cannot be turned back into either.
5. Advertising cookies — only if you agree
The site is set up to show adverts through Google AdSense, and Google’s advertising scripts are present on the page. We are not currently serving adverts, and no advertising cookies are set unless you accept the Advertisement category.
If and when adverts go live, Google may set cookies to limit how often you see the same advert, to measure whether an advert worked, and — where you have agreed — to make adverts more relevant to you. We will update this page before that happens.
Google’s own notice for partner sites explains what it does with data from sites carrying its adverts.
6. Storage that isn’t a cookie
Browsers offer other ways to store small amounts of information, and the law treats them the same way as cookies. We use your browser’s local storage and session storage for a few conveniences. Session storage is cleared when you close the tab. Except where stated, none of this is sent to us:
- your light or dark theme choice, alongside the cookie in section 3;
- the listings you have looked at recently, so we can show them in a “Recently viewed” strip. This stays on your device;
- for the rest of your visit, that you closed the “someone just enquired” pop-ups, or have already seen the note about one-click enquiries;
- if you use our franchise assistant, a reference to your conversation for the rest of your visit. This one is sent to us with each question, so the assistant can follow the conversation. It holds no personal details;
- small interface preferences, such as a panel you collapsed.
You can clear this storage the same way you clear cookies — see section 8.
7. Who else is involved
Some cookies are set by companies we use rather than by us. Their own notices explain what they do with the information:
| Who | What they do for us | Their notice |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics, and advertising if introduced | policies.google.com/privacy | |
| Tawk.to | Provides our live chat, and sets cookies only after you click “Chat with us” | tawk.to/privacy-policy |
| Stripe | Takes card payments for advertising packages, and uses cookies for fraud prevention on the checkout pages only | stripe.com/gb/privacy |
| Cloudflare | Delivers the site and filters malicious traffic. May set a short-lived cookie when it needs to verify that a request is genuine | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
Links from listings take you to franchise brands’ own websites, which set their own cookies. We do not control those, and their policies apply once you leave.
8. Controlling cookies in your browser
The cookie settings link in our footer is the easiest way to change what this site uses. Your browser also lets you block or delete cookies across every site you visit:
Blocking every cookie will stop parts of this site working — you will not be able to sign in, and your request list will not survive from one page to the next.
9. Changes to this policy
We will update this page when the cookies we use change — particularly if advertising goes live. The date at the top shows when it was last revised.
10. Contact us
If anything here is unclear, email info@findmyfranchise.co.uk.
Find My Franchise Ltd, 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE. Registered in England and Wales, company number 14652211. ICO registration ZB559376.
