Cookie accept and reload of page changes Channel in Google Analytics

Hi,

I have a tracking question / problem:
On a J3 project, there is a lot is done in the SEO area. I changed the cookie banner from KickGDPR to JoomlaCK about 3 weeks ago. Now people can decide on a per cookie basis.
Three weeks ago, when I installed the plugin of JoomlaCK, I had set that after confirming the button the page is reloaded.

Two days ago, the SEOperson informed/asked me, because for three weeks, about 60% of the traffic in Google Analytics was displayed as "Direct Traffic". Before that, it was 30% Direct and 30% "Organic traff" (=from Google Search).

It seems that after the change to Joomlack plugin, the SEO traffic had decreased significantly and the Direct traffic had increased tremendously.
I attributed this to the fact that the plugin reloads the page after confirming the cookies and thus is counted (after the reload) as Direct Traffic (instead of "Organic traffic" from Search). So I turned the reload option off two days ago.

Today the SEOperson contacted me again that since 2 days, the accesses are even further down. I have now checked, they are really only 1/3. (see attachment)

So, I think some header information is changed now. Is that possible? It seems a technical problem. Google Search Console says the views are still the same - no problem there.

Summary:
The problem is that when a
- person comes to website from google search (--> Origin/Channel in Google Analytics is "organic search")
- when option "reload page after confirm" is on: when people accept/decline, the page is reloaded and the channel in GA is changed to "direct".
How can I solve this? It should stay "organic/search"

Or
- if I turn reload off, the it seems the tracking is working differently.
How could I change that?

Attachment:
black --> on the right side when I started with JoomlaCK Cookie Plugin
red --> Organic Search data
green --> drop of tracking in general

Thanks and best regards
Sigrid

Hi
I think that the problem is simply related to the way cookies are working, and the way the law must be applied (may be I'm wrong)
in my mind, the analytics can only be working after the visitor accept the cookies, so if your visitors do not click on that button, they are not counted in Google Analytics

if you find any other explanation, I'm opened to the discussion
CEd

Yes, that is how it has to work. that is ok.

But since I turned the page reload off (on Nov 15 - see attachement), there are 60% less people visiting the site according to Google Analytics.
It is exactly the same Cookie Hint, just without Page Reload. This is the only thing I changed.

So, there must be some other technical issue. I guess the Cookies are set with JS after confirming and then only counted on next page reload. Maybe there is some referer missing or so.

Cookies are set with JS after confirming and then only counted on next page reload. Maybe there is some referer missing or so.

yes for the current page, but the cookies shall be working on the reload because at this stage they are accepted
a sort of mistery ....