LCBO
Retail · lcbo.com
14 out of 20 Trust-aware
A provincial monopoly that tells you it uses cookies and offers no way to say no.
How many clicks to find the privacy policy from the homepage?
One click, from the footer. The privacy policy opens as a web page with a clear title and the note that it was last updated on 15 June 2026.
Is there a meaningful choice about cookies and tracking before data is collected?
A notice, not a choice. The bar reads “We use cookies and similar technologies to improve user experience, and analyse activities and performance. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.” There is a link to the policy and nothing else: no accept, no decline, no settings. Thirty-three cookies are already set when it appears, including Adobe’s visitor identifier. This is the shape a consent banner takes when the site has no competitor to lose you to.
How hard is the policy to read, how much of it is there, and can you get it in one piece?
Grade 13.8 across 3,489 words, in one place. Difficulty 1, length 3, access 4. Measure it yourself.
How many clicks to reach data settings, and can you delete your account yourself?
A dedicated privacy address, and a statutory route behind it. foi.privacy@lcbo.com is published in the policy, and as a provincial agency the LCBO also carries a Freedom of Information request process. Neither is self-serve, but both are clearly labelled and easy to find, which is what separates this from a support queue.
Find the support page. How many clicks, and is there a way to speak to a human?
A phone line and a chat. “Customer Service” in the footer opens helloLCBO, which publishes 1-800-668-5226 alongside a chat channel.
Overall finding
14 out of 20 Trust-aware
The LCBO is the only retailer in this batch that is also a monopoly, and its consent banner is what that looks like on a web page. It informs rather than asks, because there is nowhere else in Ontario to buy the product. Everything the LCBO controls without giving anything up is done well: the policy is findable, dated, and readable, and a person can reach a human on the phone. The one dimension that would cost it something is the one it does not offer.
- Scored
- 8 August 2026
- Region
- Canadian site, private window
- Session
- Logged out throughout
Scored from public evidence only. No company can pay to change a score, and paid relationships are disclosed here. Read the independence statement.