Britain’s retail sector is reeling from a series of sophisticated cyberattacks, with high street giants Marks & Spencer (M&S) and the Co-op among the most severely affected.
As the disruption enters its third week, customers, staff, and industry leaders are all feeling the impact, and experts are warning that these incidents should serve as a wake-up call for the entire sector.
M&S, a cornerstone of British retail for over 140 years, has been unable to process online clothing and home orders since 25 April, following a major cyberattack believed to be orchestrated by the “Scattered Spider” ransomware group.
The attack has also affected contactless payments and Click & Collect services, while some stores have reported shortages of certain food items.
The retailer’s share price has fallen by nearly 9% since Easter, wiping around £700 million off its market value. The timing could not be worse, as the disruption coincides with the launch of new seasonal ranges and an unseasonably warm May, typically a busy period for sales.
Chief Executive Stuart Machin issued a public apology, stating: “We are tirelessly working to address the ongoing cyber situation and restore normalcy for you as swiftly as we can.”
With around a third of M&S’s clothing and home sales conducted online, analysts warn that the company faces a significant short-term profit hit.
The Co-op has also been targeted, confirming that hackers accessed and extracted personal data from a significant number of its members, including names, contact numbers, and birth dates. While no bank or credit card details were compromised, the breach has caused concern among customers and led to delivery delays and empty shelves in some stores.
A Co-op spokesperson commented: “We are continuing to experience sustained malicious attempts by hackers to access our systems. This is a highly complex situation, which we continue to investigate in conjunction with the NCSC and the NCA.
We appreciate that our members have placed their trust in our Co-op when providing information to us. Protecting the security of our members’ and customers’ data is a priority, and we are very sorry that this situation has arisen.”
Despite the disruption, Co-op’s more than 2,000 grocery stores and 800 funeral homes remain open, although some locations may not have their usual range of products.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is working closely with affected retailers and has described the incidents as a “wake-up call” for all UK organisations. Dr Richard Horne, head of the NCSC, emphasised:
“These incidents should serve as a wake-up call for all organisations.”
Retail experts warn that the growing sophistication of cyberattacks is forcing companies to invest hundreds of millions of pounds annually in cyber defences. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, noted that “all retailers are consistently assessing systems to ensure they are as secure as possible.”
With investigations ongoing and no clear timeline for full recovery, the attacks have highlighted the increasing threat posed by cybercriminals to the UK’s retail infrastructure.
As the sector works to restore normal service, the message from experts is clear: robust cyber resilience is now essential for every retailer.
