---
slug: consent-grundsatz
title: "What happens without consent?"
category: consent
locale: en
updated: 2026-10-13
keywords: ["consent","CONSENT_MISSING","cookie banner","GDPR","TDDDG"]
questions: ["Is nothing really stored without consent?","Does Metrunio need a cookie banner?","What happens when a user declines?","Do you store data without consent?","Which exceptions apply without consent?","What applies before a decision, after refusal, consent and withdrawal?","Are ad contacts measured without consent?"]
url: https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/consent-grundsatz
---

# What happens without consent?

**Is nothing really stored without consent?**

By default, Metrunio stores nothing without matching consent, not even a raw event, and the tracking script sends nothing before a decision. One documented case differs: purchases and refunds your server reports without consent count towards measured revenue for revenue reconciliation, with their order number and without browser, customer or advertising identifiers, and are not attributed. After a refusal this only applies with an activated additional instruction. Without consent on the ad side, the click redirect passes on only the campaign, no click ID.

| Purpose | Events concerned |
| --- | --- |
| Analytics | session_start, page_view, product_view, add_to_cart, form_submit, lead, purchase, refund, custom, goal, survey |
| Marketing | ad_impression, ad_viewable_impression, ad_click, email_open |

The check happens twice: the SDK does not even send advertising events without marketing consent, and the collector checks the reported state a second time. What is rejected is not stored, not even as raw data for a later evaluation.

## One case that differs, and the click redirect

- Purchases and refunds that arrive through the server API or the historical import without a consent decision (consent_state unknown) are stored for revenue reconciliation: with their order number, without browser, customer or advertising identifiers. They appear as unattributed with the reason “No consent”. They are still personal data, because your shop can link the order number to a person. After a refusal (denied) the same only applies if the additional instruction for revenue reconciliation is activated for your account; otherwise the order is rejected. Details in the article on consent for server events.
- The redirect of a tracking link measures the click only with consent on the ad side (c=1), and only then passes on a click ID (metrunio_cid). Without it, it still redirects and appends only the campaign (metrunio_camp), the same for every click. The visit then counts for the campaign without being linked to a click. A visit is linked to the click, the impression and viewability only with marketing consent in your shop. Whether appending the campaign without consent is permissible has not yet been conclusively assessed.

Not an exception, but for completeness: every time a tracking element is loaded, a counter on that element goes up, together with the time of the last request. This happens without consent too. No identifier, no address and no per-request time is attached to it; it only tells you whether an element is being served. Anonymous reach measurement before consent has been hidden since 29 September 2026.

## What happens in which state

| State | Events from the browser | Ad contacts (pixel, tag, click) | Purchases and refunds from the server |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No decision yet | The script sends nothing, nothing sits on the device. | Measured only with consent on the ad side (c=1); nothing links them to the shop yet. | With unknown: stored with the order number, without browser, customer or advertising identifiers, counted in revenue, not attributed. |
| Refused | Nothing; anything held back is discarded. | As before a decision: no link to the browser is created. | With denied: as with unknown only with an activated additional instruction; without it rejected (CONSENT_MISSING), nothing stored. |
| Consented | Measured, with identifier, journey and attribution. | Linked to the browser through the click ID and the view identifier; the view identifier only with marketing consent. | With granted or a matching partial: measured and attributed like a purchase in the browser. |
| Withdrawn | Whatever the new state no longer covers is deleted; the script removes its identifier and session. | Those linked to this browser: deleted; the metrunio_view cookie is removed. All others stay. | Reported with this browser’s identifier: deleted, not moved into revenue reconciliation. Reported without consent (no decision or after a refusal): untouched. |
| Consented again | New identifier, new journey. | The old contacts no longer exist; the old destination URL brings nothing back either. | As for “consented”. |

> **Legal note:** Metrunio does not replace consent management. You still need a CMP that collects and documents consent. Settle the specific arrangement for the two differing cases and the ad contacts after a withdrawal with your privacy counsel. For revenue reconciliation, your own privacy policy must state the purpose, the legal basis and how to object.

## Also asked

- Does Metrunio need a cookie banner?
- What happens when a user declines?
- Do you store data without consent?
- Which exceptions apply without consent?
- What applies before a decision, after refusal, consent and withdrawal?
- Are ad contacts measured without consent?

## Related

- https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/consent-vor-einwilligung
- https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/consent-serverseitig
- https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/consent-widerruf
- https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/was-wird-gespeichert
- https://bench.metrunio.com/en/help/zusatzweisung-umsatzabstimmung