Cookies are small text files that websites visited by the user send and store on their computer or mobile device, to later retransmit them to the same sites on the next visit.

Thanks to cookies, the site remembers the user’s actions and preferences (such as login data, selected language, character dimensions, or other display settings, etc.) so that they do not have to be re-entered when the user visits the site again or navigates from one page to another within it. Cookies, therefore, are used to perform computer authentications, session monitoring, and storing data related to the activities of users accessing a site, and may also contain a unique identification code that allows tracking of the user’s navigation within the site itself for statistical or advertising purposes. While browsing a site, the user may also receive cookies on their computer or mobile device from sites or web servers different from the one they are visiting (third-party cookies). Some operations could not

be executed without the use of cookies, which in certain cases are technically necessary for the proper functioning of the site.

There are various types of cookies and their functions may vary according to their characteristics. They can remain on the user’s computer or mobile device for different periods of time. For example, session cookies, which are automatically deleted when closing the browser, while persistent cookies remain on the user’s device for a predefined period.

According to current legislation, the use of cookies does not always require express consent from the user. Specifically, technical cookies do not require this consent; in other words, these are cookies that are indispensable for the functioning of the site or necessary to perform activities requested by the user.

However, for functional cookies, used to activate specific functionalities of the Site and a series of selected criteria (for example, language, items selected for purchase) in order to improve the service provided; analytical cookies, both first-party and third-party, which allow understanding how the website is used; advertising cookies, that is, those aimed at creating user-related profiles and used to send advertising messages that match the preferences expressed by the user during web browsing, and for social network cookies (for example, Facebook) that allow interaction with the social network, prior consent from the user is required.

The types of cookies can be divided into the following:

• Technical cookies, i.e., navigation or session cookies that are strictly necessary for the functioning of the Site or to allow you to access some content and services you have requested;
• Functional cookies, that is, those used to activate specific functionalities of the Site and a series of selected criteria (for example, language, items selected for purchase) in order to improve the service provided;
• Analytical cookies, both first-party and third-party, which allow understanding how you and other users use the Site;
• Advertising cookies, both first-party and third-party, i.e., cookies aimed at creating user-related profiles and used to send you advertising messages that match your preferences expressed during web browsing;
• Social network cookies, which are third-party cookies (for example, Facebook) that allow interaction with the social network.