What website teams need to know about cookie management for 2026

Cookie management might not be the most exciting part of managing your website, but it remains an important part of supporting data privacy and GDPR compliance. For several years, we’ve helped businesses install Cookiebot from Usercentrics, one of the world’s leading Cookie Management Platforms (CMPs) or cookie consent platforms as they are sometimes called. A solution is essential to streamline and automate cookie management while remaining compliant.

In the past year there has been some movement in the world of cookie management. In this post we explore some of the recent and themes in the world of cookies and consent, and how this might impact your approach to managing cookies in 2026. But spoiler alert – while some elements are changing, you will almost certainly need a CMP for the foreseeable future.

1. The “cookie apocalypse” didn’t happen after all

For a while, there was talk about a “cookie apocalypse” – a future scenario where advertisers could no longer rely on using third-party cookies for data due to privacy concerns, with the major browsers withdrawing support for them. 
Google first announced their intention to withdraw support for cookies in Chrome as far back as 2020, but this move was always dependent on finding a viable alternative with Google launching a “Privacy Sandbox” initiative to research and trial different approaches.

After the target date was moved several times, in July 2024 Google announced their intention to abandon plans to eliminate support for cookies in Chrome. Finally, last month Google announced they were effectively shutting down the Privacy Sandbox by withdrawing a number of APIs.  For the foreseeable, third-party cookies are here to stay – and need to be managed accordingly.

2. The UK Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 has relaxed some UK requirements

After wider legislation around data protection and privacy failed to come to fruition, the UK Data (Use and Access) Act was passed in June 2025. This establishes some limited exemptions in the UK for cookies that can be deployed without consent in order to create less burdensome compliance requirements for businesses and a better experience for users. Subsequently the  ICO in the UK has updated its guidance on cookies that are exempt from requiring consent, where the purpose is:

• For the transmission of a communication.
• To provide a service the user or existing subscriber requests.
• Collecting statistical information about visitors to improve the site.
• To improve or adapt the appearance of the service to a user’s preference.
• To identify the location of a user who requires emergency assistance.

But most of these exemptions have some strings attached. A website must still provide “clear and comprehensive” information about the use of the technology and a “an easy way to object to this use” otherwise consent must still be secured.

The ICO guidance is very useful because it provides detailed, tangible examples of what will likely require consent and what won’t – for example if you are doing A/B testing consent is unlikely to be required, but if you are monitoring or tracking individual users, then consent will be required.

Accompanying these changes is also a more active approach from the ICO to regulation, with higher penalties (aligned with those for GDPR), more power to complete audits, expanded compliance monitoring of the top thousand websites and more. At the same time, the ICO has also activated a consultation process with businesses about potential further relaxation of the rules requiring consent for certain low-risk online advertising, so there could be further change at some stage.

While the exemptions sound sounds welcome, it is also worth noting that this will only apply to a website that is going to be used by UK customers only. If your site is used by European customers, then GDPR and consent will still apply. It also means currently there is a divergence in the approach to cookie management with the potential for a confusing patchwork of different approaches to compliance. 

3. The EU is looking to modify approach to cookies in 2026

Much of the current approach to cookie management and the requirement for consent has been defined by legislation introduced by the EU, including GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. However, this is an area where the EU has been trying to make some changes.

The EU had been looking at new ePrivacy Regulation to replace the related Directive. This has been in development for many years, but in February 2025 the proposed regulation was withdrawn. In November 2025 the EU announced a new Digital Omnibus Package which seeks to provide a more fit-for-purpose digital regulatory framework; this covers multiple areas including the approach to cookies and recognises the issue of “consent fatigue” from users.

The package includes proposals to:

• Allow for the storing of personal data in terminal equipment without the need for consent relating to a variety of situations such as measuring audience size.
• Pave the way for potentially having universal settings – for example in a browser – that allow for a consistent consent or opt out choice that can then be applied across different websites.
• Establish a framework to make this second point happen including a transition period.

While this is unlikely to become law until 2027 at the earliest, this is an area to watch as it will impact cookie management.

4.    Data privacy is still important for consumers

“Cookie fatigue” is prevalent; many of us are tired of having to click on consent banners and so on and may deem them unnecessary. At the same time, with data breaches continually in the news, data privacy is still clearly a concern for UK consumers. Surveys conducted by YouGov suggest that 58% of UK consumers are worried about how much data people have about them gleaned from the internet, compared to 31% who “don’t worry much” about privacy.  Other research suggests marginally more UK consumers view cookies positively (35%) than negatively (32%).

Brands that aren’t seen to be actively safeguarding data privacy may undermine consumer trust and confidence with their brand or their website. With user consent around cookies still a requirement, a website that does not have consent in place may indicate a lax approach to data privacy, even to a user who finds cookies irritating or irrelevant. For this reason, having a cookie management platform in place is still the best option.

5.    Does AI impact cookie management?

Generative AI is already influencing user behaviour when it comes for searching and consuming information. More people are using ChatGPT and related services to get answers to questions rather than visiting original websites. While generative AI throws up its own privacy issues, at the moment this does not impact the cookie management that needs to be applied to your website.

Cookie management in 2026

2026 looks set to be an interesting year for cookie management and there could be some changes in the pipeline. The bottom line though is you still need to offer consent to users which is always best achieved through a solution such a Cookiebot. If you’d like to discuss how best to manage cookies on your website, then get in touch!