diff --git a/docs/options.md b/docs/options.md
index 9e1f3cff2..cddc6bd81 100644
--- a/docs/options.md
+++ b/docs/options.md
@@ -90,8 +90,16 @@ Otherwise, defaults to the language set for `locale`.
 
 ## storeLocale
 
-If set to `true`, stores the locale selected by the user in the `localStorage` of the browser.
-Otherwise, doesn't store the locale across browser sessions.
+If set to `true` (default), stores the locale selected by the user in the storage of the browser.
+If set to `false`, doesn't store the locale across browser sessions.
+
+Depending on the browser settings, this may store in either:
+- `localeStorage`
+- `sessionStorage`
+- cookies
+
+In some countries this may have implications with regards to GDPR etc.
+If you want to avoid this, disable this setting.
 
 ## locale
 
diff --git a/src/StacBrowser.vue b/src/StacBrowser.vue
index 0f3fa1552..adec63e56 100644
--- a/src/StacBrowser.vue
+++ b/src/StacBrowser.vue
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import URI from 'urijs';
 import I18N from '@radiantearth/stac-fields/I18N';
 import { translateFields, API_LANGUAGE_CONFORMANCE, loadMessages } from './i18n';
 import { getBest, prepareSupported } from './locale-id';
+import BrowserStorage from "./browser-store";
 
 Vue.use(AlertPlugin);
 Vue.use(ButtonGroupPlugin);
@@ -285,11 +286,8 @@ export default {
     detectLocale() {
       let locale;
       if (this.storeLocaleFromVueX) {
-        try {
-          locale = window.localStorage.getItem('locale');
-        } catch(error) {
-          console.error(error);
-        }
+        const storage = new BrowserStorage();
+        locale = storage.get('locale');
       }
       if (!locale && this.detectLocaleFromBrowserFromVueX && Array.isArray(navigator.languages)) {
         // Detect the most suitable locale
diff --git a/src/browser-store.js b/src/browser-store.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef8dfab59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/browser-store.js
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+import Utils from "./utils";
+
+export default class BrowserStorage {
+
+  static JSON_INDICATOR = "\n\r";
+
+  static enabled(engine) {
+    if (!Utils.isObject(engine)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    try {
+      engine.setItem('test', 'yes');
+      if (engine.getItem('test') === 'yes') {
+        engine.removeItem('test');
+        return true;
+      }
+    } catch(error) {
+      console.error(error);
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  constructor(session = false) {
+    if (session) {
+      if (BrowserStorage.enabled(window.sessionStorage)) {
+        this.engine = window.sessionStorage;
+      }
+      else if (navigator.cookieEnabled) {
+        this.engine = new Cookies(true);
+      }
+      else {
+        this.engine = new NoOp();
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      if (BrowserStorage.enabled(window.localStorage)) {
+        this.engine = window.localStorage;
+      }
+      else if (navigator.cookieEnabled) {
+        this.engine = new Cookies();
+      }
+      else {
+        this.engine = new NoOp();
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  get(name) {
+    try {
+      let data = this.engine.getItem(name);
+      if (typeof data === 'string' && data.startsWith(BrowserStorage.JSON_INDICATOR)) {
+        data = JSON.parse(data.slice(BrowserStorage.JSON_INDICATOR.length));
+      }
+      return data;
+    } catch(error) {
+      console.error(error);
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  set(name, value) {
+    try {
+      if (typeof value !== 'string') {
+        value = BrowserStorage.JSON_INDICATOR + JSON.stringify(value);
+      }
+      this.engine.setItem(name, value);
+    } catch(error) {
+      console.error(error);
+    }
+  }
+
+  remove(name) {
+    try {
+      this.engine.removeItem(name);
+    } catch(error) {
+      console.error(error);
+    }
+  }
+
+  clear() {
+    this.engine.clear();
+  }
+
+}
+
+class Cookies {
+
+  constructor(session = false) {
+    this.session = session;
+  }
+
+  getExpiry(minutes = null) {
+    if (minutes === null) {
+      if (this.session) {
+        minutes = 60; // 60 minutes
+      }
+      else {
+        minutes = 1000 * 24 * 60; // 1000 days
+      }
+    }
+    const date = new Date();
+    date.setTime(date.getTime() + minutes * 60 * 1000);
+    this.epires = date.toGMTString();
+  }
+
+  setItem(name, value, minutes = null) {
+    const expires = this.getExpiry(minutes);
+    value = encodeURIComponent(value);
+    document.cookie = `${name}=${value}; expires=${expires}; path=/`;
+  }
+
+  getItem(name) {
+    const prefix = name + "=";
+    const parts = document.cookie.split(';');
+    for (let c of parts) {
+      c = c.trim();
+      if (c.startsWith(prefix)) {
+        const data = c.substring(prefix.length, c.length);
+        return decodeURIComponent(data);
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  removeItem(name) {
+    this.set(name, "", -1);
+  }
+
+  clear() {
+    document.cookie = '';
+  }
+
+}
+
+
+class NoOp {
+
+  constructor(session = false) {
+    this.session = session;
+  }
+
+  setItem(name/*, value*/) {
+    console.warn(`Browser storage disabled, can't store ${name}`);
+  }
+
+  getItem(/*name*/) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  removeItem(/*name*/) {
+  }
+
+  clear() {
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/store/index.js b/src/store/index.js
index 94cbf85a0..a49d44cd9 100644
--- a/src/store/index.js
+++ b/src/store/index.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import STAC from '../models/stac';
 import { addQueryIfNotExists, isAuthenticationError, Loading, processSTAC, proxyUrl, unproxyUrl, stacRequest } from './utils';
 import { getBest } from '../locale-id';
 import { TYPES } from "../components/ApiCapabilitiesMixin";
+import BrowserStorage from "../browser-store.js";
 
 function getStore(config, router) {
   // Local settings (e.g. for currently loaded STAC entity)
@@ -634,11 +635,8 @@ function getStore(config, router) {
         await cx.dispatch('config', {locale});
 
         if (cx.state.storeLocale && userSelected) {
-          try {
-            window.localStorage.setItem('locale', locale);
-          } catch (error) {
-            console.error(error);
-          }
+          const storage = new BrowserStorage();
+          locale = storage.set('locale', locale);
         }
 
         // Locale for UI