Case study Ricola

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force in May 2018, has led to a largely standardized processing of personal data across the EU. The legislation requires that websites explicitly notify users when their data is collected and requires their consent to store cookies that are used in user identification. The courts have now also made it clear that providers are required to offer an explicit opt-in for non-essential cookies and that general consent banners, such as “This website uses cookies. By proceeding, you agree to the use of cookies”, are now prohibited.

Since Ricola is an international company with more than 30 country-specific websites, it needed a scalable solution that could be implemented globally to effectively manage compliance with new regulations governing the use of cookies. The company had been managing cookies manually on its website, which was time-consuming and inefficient.

Ricola picked Webrepublic and web software agency YOO to implement a third-party tool with the features needed to store user identification cookies and monitor user activity on the website. There were several potential candidates for a consent management platform (CMP), which is a tool used to ensure the compliance of cookies with GDPR or applicable jurisdictions. Considering the large scope of the project and the goal to keep the solution as simple as possible, Ricola ultimately decided on Cookiebot, which specializes in set-ups designed to ensure GDPR-compliance of cookies and website tracking activities.

It took Webrepublic no more than a month to set up the Google Tag Manager-based technology for Ricola. YOO then integrated the new Cookiebot set-up into the existing content management system (CMS). In the meantime, Webrepublic worked on updating the current website analytics set-up in Google Tag Manager to ensure cookies are used in compliance with the specific requirements within the specific jurisdictions. The tool scans the website each month and updates the list of cookies automatically.

After the implementation of the Cookiebot set-up and successful collaboration between Ricola, YOO and Webrepublic, the current requirements on cookie use within the different jurisdictions were implemented across all Ricola’s country-specific websites. Maintenance of website cookies was also automated for a much more streamlined process.