Empty shelves seen in Welsh Co-op stores as cyber attack forces some branches to go 'cash only'

Wales Online

08-05-2025

Empty shelves seen in Welsh Co-op stores as cyber attack forces some branches to go 'cash only'
Co-op has been hit by a sophisticated cyber attack and the supermarket has warned customers stores 'might not have all of their usual products available'
The attack is affecting Co-op stores across the country
Customers were forced to dig out cash after Co-op's card systems were compromised due to a cyber attack and empty shelves have been spotted in some Welsh branches. The Co-op's chief, Shirine Khoury-Haq, has since apologised for the "highly sophisticated" attack on its IT systems.
Other major retailers, including Marks and Spencer and Harrods, have also recently fallen victim to significant hacking incidents. In an email sent to customers on Tuesday afternoon, Khoury-Haq admitted that the Co-op was still grappling with the aftermath of the cyber attack, acknowledging that the business was "experiencing significant disruption".
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The CEO detailed the steps taken to "actively manage the severity of the attack", which included shutting down certain systems to protect the organisation. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
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The hackers managed to access a limited amount of member data. Khoury-Haq added: "This is obviously extremely distressing for our colleagues and members, and I am very sorry this happened."
In a bid to reassure customers, Khoury-Haq revealed that the company was "working tirelessly" to safeguard the business, assess the full extent of the breach, and liaise with relevant authorities, according to Yorkshire Live.
The impact of the cyber-attack became evident as Co-op struggled to process card payments in certain stores, and there were empty shelves.
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Three Co-op stores in Manchester have been slapped with "cash only" notices due to broken-down card machines. In other locations contactless payments are not working.
Most of the Co-op's 2,300 stores are said to be processing card payments, but shoppers have been reporting some empty shelves in certain Co-op stores in Wales.
The Co-op in Llandaff North, in Cardiff was pictured with empty shelves yesterday, May 7.
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A spokesperson for Co-op said: "Some of our stores might not have all of their usual products available and we would like to say sorry to our members and customers if this is the case in their local store. We are working around the clock to reduce disruption and resume deliveries."
They continued: "We would like to thank our colleagues, members, customers and suppliers for their understanding during this time."
Elsewhere, Marks and Spencer is also managing issues caused by a cyber attack aimed at its meal deal offers.
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Commenting on the situation, an M&S spokesperson mentioned: "Customers can still buy meal deals in our rail station stores but there are pockets of availability for some items."
They added: "We are working hard to continue getting our products into stores."