Zara Lianne29 April 2025
Several Marks & Spencer (M&S) stores across the UK have been left with empty food shelves after the retailer suffered a major cyberattack, affecting its operations and online services. The attack, believed to be carried out by the hacking group “Scattered Spider,” has caused significant disruption. Online orders were suspended, deliveries to partner Ocado were halted, and customers faced issues with payments, gift cards, and click-and-collect services. The impact has even led to temporary layoffs of agency staff at a key distribution center. In response, M&S has enlisted top cybersecurity firms to contain the breach and restore its systems. Although there’s no evidence so far that customer data was compromised, the company has urged the public to stay alert to potential scams. The attack has also hurt M&S financially, with its stock price falling by around 7%, wiping nearly £700 million off its market value. The disruption poses a challenge to the retailer’s recent turnaround efforts. As investigations continue, this incident highlights the rising threat of cybercrime and the vulnerabilities faced by large retail chains.
