M&S reinstates loyalty scheme and offers staff ‘thank you' discount after cyber-attack

The Guardian

17-07-2025

Marks & Spencer is restarting its Sparks loyalty scheme benefits for shoppers and offering a brief 'thank you' discount to staff as it moves back to full operations after a damaging cyber-attack.
The Sparks scheme was suspended, as were all orders from M&S's website, after hackers gained access to its IT systems over the Easter weekend in April.
The clothing, home and upmarket groceries retailer said shoppers were now be able to get the full range of benefits from Sparks, including personalised discounts, birthday treats and coffee stamps.
More than 1.8 million people will receive birthday treats this month, such as free bags of Percy Pigs, prosecco or biscuits, with the products offered as a catch-up for those with birthdays in May or June as well as those born in July.
The company said it was also offering 63,000 workers and more than 2,500 contractors an additional staff discount for four days. The usual 20% staff discount is being raised to 30% on fashion, homewares and beauty, while contractors, including security and cleaning staff and those working on beauty counters for brands Clinique and Estee Lauder, will get a 10% discount for the first time outside Christmas.
M&S has said profits will take a hit of up to £300m this year after it was forced to pause orders to its website for almost seven weeks after the attack, in which shoppers' personal data was stolen, including names, addresses, dates of birth and order histories.
The website began taking clothing orders last month, with homewares quickly following, but is still not operating its 'click and collect' service – via which online orders can be picked up in stores. Beauty products and food to order, such as party platters and celebration cakes, are also not available online. Full service is expected to resume within a few weeks.
Four people, including three teenagers, were arrested in the UK last week as part of an investigation into a trio of cyber-attacks on Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods that occurred within days of one another.
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The National Crime Agency, which is investigating the hacks alongside the police, is looking at the possible involvement of Scattered Spider, a loose collective of native English-speaking hackers.