Last updated: 7 May 2026 Applies to: www.nzsteroids.co.nz

This Cookie Policy explains how NZ Roids uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website. It works alongside our Privacy Policy and is consistent with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020.

By using our website and accepting cookies through our consent banner, you agree to the use of cookies as described below. You can change your preferences at any time.

1. What are cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your device (computer, tablet, or phone) when you visit. They let the site remember things about your visit — like whether you’re signed in, what’s in your cart, or what language you prefer.

Cookies don’t carry viruses and they don’t collect information from your device on their own. They simply hold information that the website can read on your next visit.

This policy also covers similar technologies, including:

  • Pixels and tags — tiny tracking images embedded in pages or emails
  • Local storage — data stored by your browser without using cookies
  • SDKs — code from third parties that track usage in apps

For simplicity, we refer to all of these collectively as “cookies”.

2. Why we use cookies

We use cookies to:

  • Keep you signed in and remember your account
  • Hold the contents of your cart between pages
  • Remember your preferences (e.g. delivery address, language)
  • Keep your session secure and detect suspicious activity
  • Understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it
  • Measure the performance of our marketing where you’ve opted in
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations

We do not use cookies to collect health information, prescription details, or NHI numbers.

3. Categories of cookies we use

We group cookies into four categories.

3.1 Strictly necessary cookies

These keep the website working. Without them, you couldn’t sign in, place orders, or move between pages securely. They cannot be turned off.

Examples:

  • Session cookies that keep you signed in
  • Cart cookies that remember your selected items
  • Security cookies that protect against fraud and unauthorised access
  • Load-balancing cookies that route your traffic correctly

3.2 Functional cookies

These remember choices you’ve made and personalise the site for you.

Examples:

  • Language and region preferences
  • Saved delivery address
  • Recently viewed products
  • Accessibility settings (e.g. larger text)

If you turn these off, the site will still work, but you may need to re-enter preferences each visit.

3.3 Analytics and performance cookies

These help us understand how the site is used so we can fix problems and make it better. The data is aggregated and is not used to identify you personally.

Examples:

  • Which pages are most visited
  • How long people spend on a page
  • Where visitors come from (search engine, direct, referral)
  • Errors or broken pages
  • Page load speed

We use Google Analytics for this. IP addresses are anonymised before being processed.

3.4 Marketing and advertising cookies

These are only set if you opt in. They help us show you relevant offers and measure whether our marketing is working. They may be set by us or by third-party advertising partners.

Examples:

  • Remarketing cookies that show you NZ Roids ads on other sites you visit
  • Conversion-tracking cookies that tell us if a click on an ad led to an order
  • Social media pixels (Facebook, Instagram) for measuring ad performance

Even with these on, we do not share health information or prescription information with advertisers.

4. First-party and third-party cookies

  • First-party cookies are set directly by NZ Roids when you visit our site.
  • Third-party cookies are set by services we use, such as analytics providers, payment processors, and advertising platforms. These third parties have their own privacy policies, which you should read if you want to understand how they handle your data.

The main third parties we currently use:

  • Google Analytics — analytics and performance — policies.google.com/privacy
  • Google Ads — advertising and conversion tracking (with consent) — policies.google.com/privacy
  • Meta (Facebook and Instagram) — social ad measurement (with consent) — www.facebook.com/policy.php
  • Stripe — secure payment processing — stripe.com/privacy
  • Cloudflare — security and performance — www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy

We may add or change providers from time to time. The current list is reflected in our cookie consent banner.

5. How long do cookies last?

There are two main types based on lifespan:

  • Session cookies are deleted automatically when you close your browser. We use these mainly for sign-in and security.
  • Persistent cookies stay on your device until they expire or you delete them. The lifespan varies — usually between 30 days and 24 months.

You can clear cookies at any time using your browser settings.

6. Your choices

When you first visit NZ Roids, you’ll see a cookie consent banner with the following options:

  • Accept all — turn on all cookie categories
  • Reject non-essential — only strictly necessary cookies are set
  • Customise — choose which categories to allow

Strictly necessary cookies are always on, because the site can’t function without them. All other categories are off by default until you opt in.

You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in the footer of our website.

7. Managing cookies through your browser

You can also control cookies directly in your browser. Most browsers let you:

  • Block all cookies
  • Block third-party cookies only
  • Delete cookies on close
  • Browse in private or incognito mode (which usually limits cookie storage)

Instructions for the main browsers:

  • Chrome — support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647
  • Safari — support.apple.com/en-nz/guide/safari/sfri11471/mac
  • Firefox — support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/clear-cookies-and-site-data-firefox
  • Edge — support.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge

Blocking strictly necessary cookies may stop parts of our website from working — including sign-in, the checkout, and prescription uploads.

8. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” (DNT) or “Global Privacy Control” (GPC) signal. Because there isn’t a settled standard for how websites should respond to these signals, we currently rely on our cookie consent banner instead. If you reject non-essential cookies on the banner, no analytics or marketing cookies will be set, regardless of any DNT or GPC signal.

9. Cookies in our emails

Marketing emails from us may contain small tracking pixels that tell us whether the email was opened and which links were clicked. This helps us understand what content is useful to you. You can turn this off by:

  • Setting your email client not to load remote images by default
  • Unsubscribing from marketing emails using the link at the bottom of every message

Transactional emails (order confirmations, dispatch notices, prescription updates) do not contain marketing tracking, but may contain delivery and bounce-tracking required to confirm the email reached you.

10. Children’s use of cookies

NZ Roids is not directed at children under 18. We don’t knowingly collect data from children through cookies. If you believe a child has used our site without parental consent, please contact us so we can remove any associated data.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the cookies we use or the law. The “Last updated” date at the top will always show the latest version. Material changes will be highlighted on the cookie banner the next time you visit.

12. How this fits with our Privacy Policy

Cookies are one way we collect personal information, so this Cookie Policy is part of our wider approach to privacy. For full details on:

  • What personal and health information we collect
  • How we use, store, and share it
  • Your rights under the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020

please see our Privacy Policy.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to accept cookies to use NZ Roids? You only need to accept strictly necessary cookies to use the site, place orders, and upload prescriptions. Analytics and marketing cookies are optional and off by default.

Can I change my cookie preferences after my first visit? Yes. Click “Cookie Settings” in the website footer at any time.

Do you use cookies to track my health information? No. Cookies are not used to collect prescription details, medical conditions, or NHI numbers. Health information is handled separately under our Privacy Policy and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020.

Do you sell my data to advertisers? No. We don’t sell personal information. With your consent, we may share aggregated, non-identifying data with advertising partners to measure marketing performance.

Why do some cookies last so long? Persistent cookies (up to 24 months) are usually for things like remembering you’re signed in, your preferences, or whether you’ve already seen the cookie banner. You can delete them at any time.

What happens if I block all cookies? Strictly necessary cookies are required — without them, sign-in, checkout, and prescription uploads won’t work. Blocking other categories simply means less personalisation and no analytics or marketing tracking.