Compliance Guide· 7 min read·Updated July 2026

Cookie Consent: GDPR & ePrivacy Guide for Online Stores

Cookie consent is the most common GDPR compliance failure for e-commerce stores. This guide covers requirements and implementation on Shopify and WooCommerce.

The Two Laws That Govern Cookies

Cookie compliance in Europe is governed by two overlapping laws: the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

The ePrivacy Directive requires that storing information on a user's device requires prior informed consent.

The GDPR governs what happens with any personal data those cookies collect.

In practice:

If your store loads Google Analytics or Meta Pixel before consent — this is a common enforcement target.

Which Cookies Require Consent?

Cookie CategoryConsent RequiredCommon Examples
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6 Common Cookie Consent Mistakes

1

Mistake 1

Critical

Details

2

Mistake 2

Critical

Details

3

Mistake 3

Critical

Details

4

Mistake 4

High

Details

5

Mistake 5

High

Details

6

Mistake 6

Medium

Details

Platform-Specific Guidance

Shopify

Overview

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WooCommerce

Overview

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Related Guides

GDPR Compliance Checklist

6-section checklist covering cookie consent, privacy policies, and data protection.

Read guide

EU AI Act for E-Commerce

Article 50 transparency requirements and compliance deadlines.

Read guide

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