What is the CookieConsentBulkSetting- cookie?
CookieConsentBulkSetting- is the prefix of an entry stored in localStorage by Cookiebot, a Consent Management Platform (CMP) used on many websites to display cookie banners. The full name includes a unique identifier after the prefix, typically tied to the domain or consent configuration, so a site with multiple configurations may have several such entries.
The entry appears as soon as the Cookiebot script loads in the visitor's browser, regardless of whether they have interacted with the banner yet. It is set by the Cookiebot script running on the site where the provider has been implemented, not by a separate third-party domain.
What data it stores
This entry stores, in an aggregated ("bulk") form, the consent settings Cookiebot manages for its cookie categories (necessary, preferences, statistics, marketing). The exact value format is not publicly documented by the provider and may vary between script versions, so no specific structure should be assumed.
Since it is a localStorage entry rather than an HTTP cookie, the data is not automatically sent with every request to a server — it is read locally by the Cookiebot script when needed to decide which tracking modules are allowed to run.
What it is used for
The purpose of this entry is purely technical: it lets the Cookiebot script quickly determine what consent choices a visitor has already made, without querying a server on every page load. In effect, it locally remembers consent status for each category group, so the banner does not reappear unnecessarily and permitted scripts only fire once proper consent has been given.
For a site owner, correct functioning of this entry is a prerequisite for the rest of the consent mechanism — blocking or unblocking statistics or marketing scripts — to work as intended.
Does it require consent?
CookieConsentBulkSetting- is classified as strictly necessary, since it directly supports the consent-management function required under the ePrivacy Directive (implemented in Romania via Law 506/2004) and the GDPR. Under the exemption for strictly necessary storage, it does not require prior visitor consent.
- It should still be listed in the site's cookie policy, along with its purpose and provider.
- Site owners should not block it through their CMP, as doing so would break the consent banner itself.
- It remains the site owner's responsibility to ensure the cookie declaration accurately reflects the Cookiebot implementation in use.
How to block or delete CookieConsentBulkSetting-
Visitors can manually delete this entry from their browser's local site data settings (localStorage) or by clearing browsing data for the domain. Removing it will cause the consent banner to reappear on the next visit.
For site owners who don't use Cookiebot but want an equivalent mechanism, a CMP such as CookieFix can automatically block scripts from categories that require consent (statistics, marketing, preferences) until the visitor makes an explicit choice, preventing premature loading.
Frequently asked questions
It's a localStorage entry, not a classic HTTP cookie, but it is legally treated the same as a cookie under the ePrivacy Directive.
No, it's strictly necessary for the Cookiebot consent mechanism to function, so it falls under the exemption that doesn't require prior consent.
Because after the CookieConsentBulkSetting- prefix comes a unique identifier tied to that domain's specific consent configuration.
The saved consent preferences are lost, and the Cookiebot banner will reappear to ask the visitor to make their choices again.