Cookie Policy
Last updated: August 11, 2026
The Bloat Guide uses cookies for basic site function and anonymous analytics. When you click an affiliate link, the retailer and its affiliate network may set their own cookies so the sale is credited to us. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings at any time, and the site will still work.
A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store. This page explains which ones may be involved when you read The Bloat Guide, and how to switch them off.
What we use
| Type | What it does | Can you refuse it? |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Makes the site load and display correctly, and helps our host block abuse. | These are required for the site to function. |
| Analytics | Counts visits and shows which articles get read, in aggregate. It does not identify you by name. | Yes — block cookies in your browser and analytics stops recording your visit. |
| Affiliate tracking | Set by the affiliate network or retailer after you click an outbound link, so that a purchase is credited to this site. This is what pays for the site. | Yes. Blocking it doesn't stop you buying — it just means we aren't credited. |
Third-party cookies
We don't run advertising networks or social media pixels on this site. However, once you click through to a retailer, that company sets its own cookies under its own policy, and we have no control over them. Their cookie notice applies from that point on.
How to control cookies
Every browser lets you block or delete cookies, and most offer a setting to reject third-party cookies while keeping the essential ones. Look under Settings → Privacy in Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. Private or incognito windows discard cookies when you close them.
Blocking cookies will not break this site. Some pages are simply less able to tell whether a visit is new or returning.
Changes
If we add or remove a category of cookie, this page will be updated with a new date.