5 August 2026

Is This the End of Third-Party Cookies? Don’t Wait to Switch to a New Model!

Announced in 2020 by Chrome, the most popular browser (65% market share in France in 2023), the phase-out of third-party cookies has once again been postponed. Originally scheduled for 2022, it has been delayed every year and is now set for 2025. This provides a reprieve for advertisers who had not yet chosen an alternative solution… Today, more than ever, it is imperative to prepare for this major change in data collection!

What are cookies used for?

We talk about them or hear about them every day… But what are they, really?

Cookies are files stored in a user’s browser when they visit a website. There are several types of cookies:

The native cookie, or first-party cookie, which is used to track data specific to the website.
What does the visitor do on the site? The cookie will track and collect data on the duration of the visit, the number of pages viewed, the links clicked, conversions, and more.
The third-party cookie, which takes effect when your visitor leaves the site.
It provides information to the next site that the targeted user visits in order to personalize their browsing experience and display relevant ads. So, if you browse several pairs of hiking shoes on a site where you’ve accepted third-party cookies, your future visits to news sites or social media platforms will likely be accompanied by a few ads for this type of product.

The End of Third-Party Cookies: What Are the Consequences?

No more third-party cookies in the future. Is that a problem, doctor?

In fact, third-party cookies have already been phased out on Safari and Firefox browsers. This move comes in response to platforms’ growing commitment to protecting user privacy. Moreover, since 2018 and with the rise of the GDPR, the use of cookies must be subject to the user’s consent across all platforms.

In short, rest assured! The end of cookies doesn’t spell the end of online business—it just means it will be harder to accurately target your audience. One of the most affected areas is retargeting. If you can no longer identify your visitors once they leave your site, it will be difficult to show them the products they viewed on other websites or social media, for example.

A new challenge for our friends in marketing!

What Are the Alternatives to Third-Party Cookies? A Closer Look at Marketing Solutions

#1. Working with first-party data

First-party cookies are not currently at risk, but to be effective and “usable,” they must be accepted by users. However, according to the CNIL, the cookie acceptance rate was 59% in 2022.

As a result, many websites have worked on and customized their CMP cookie consent banners. Some use humor, design, or ultra-personalization, thereby making it easier to collect first-party cookies.

Other websites try to strongly encourage users to accept cookies, for example by making the “decline” button less prominent, which requires the user to pay close attention.

Finally, some sites still require users to accept cookies in order to access content for free or offer an alternative subscription option. These practices are not in compliance with the law and may result in penalties.

#2. Back to Basics: Contextual Advertising

While programmatic advertising allowed ads to be delivered based on the user’s profile, contextual advertising goes back to the roots of digital marketing. The focus is no longer on “who” but on “what,” with ads being delivered that are directly related to the content. A travel website will show you ads for airlines, tour operators, hotels, and more. This is a fairly simple way to ensure that your ad reaches an audience interested in your topic, since they are currently reading or viewing content related to your product category.

Social media is often overlooked by brands that don’t identify as “trendy” or “lifestyle.” Is this a mistake? Social media users provide a wealth of information that can be used for targeted advertising: their interests, as reflected in the pages or accounts they follow; their professional and personal profiles on networks such as LinkedIn; their geographic location; and a wide range of other interests. It’s a simple way to precisely target your prospects.