Stock shortages have spread to Co-op societies as a cyberattack continues to wreak havoc on Co-op Group.
Southern Co-op, Midcounties Co-op, Heart of England Co-op and Lincolnshire Co-op have all confirmed disruption to the supply of food to stores.
While the retailers are independent co-ops, meaning their membership systems and data have not been affected by the cyberattack, they rely on the Co-op Group for the distribution of their products.
The Grocer revealed yesterday (8 May) that Co-op had written to suppliers warning it was “currently unable to place orders until further notice”. Its stores have been devastated by availability issues leading to widespread empty shelves.
“Malicious attacks” since last week had “necessitated the temporary shutdown of certain elements of our supply chain and logistics operations”, Co-op said in its message to suppliers.
The societies have since warned shoppers of reduced availability.
“Due to the sustained malicious attempts by hackers to access Co-op Group systems, they have taken proactive steps to keep the systems safe, which is temporarily impacting how many deliveries we are getting into our stores,” said a Southern Co-op spokesperson.
“We’re very sorry if this means members and customers might not be able to buy some of their usual products from us. We’re working closely with Co-op Group to reduce disruption and resume deliveries. We would like to thank our colleagues, members and customers for their understanding during this time.
A Lincolnshire Co-op spokeswoman said: “The Co-op Group has taken proactive steps to keep its systems safe due to the sustained malicious attempts by hackers to gain access. This is temporarily reducing the number of deliveries from the buying group we are getting to our food stores.
“We’re sorry if this means our members and customers might not be able to buy some of their usual products from us. Please be assured that we are working closely with Co-op Group to reduce disruption and resume a more normal pattern of deliveries as soon as we can.”
Heart of England Co-op CEO Steve Browne said: “We are currently anticipating improvements in our group systems, which should lead to more consistent product deliveries in the coming days. However, please be aware that our availability, especially in fresh food, may still be compromised for the time being.
“Your support means the world to us and we sincerely appreciate it during this challenging period. As a Co-op, our mission is to serve the community, but we also need to ensure our sustainability to make a lasting difference.
“These are unprecedented times, and we are navigating challenges that we have not faced before, though we recognise that they may not be the last. Your understanding and loyalty are invaluable to us.”
Midcounties Co-op CEO Phil Ponsonby said: “The Midcounties Co-operative is an independent Co-op society. We have our own systems, including membership, and our own membership records have not been affected by any of the recent cyber incidents.
“We do however rely on the Co-op group for the distribution of food products into our food stores and, as a result of the protocols they have put in place to secure their systems, we are experiencing disruption of goods.
“Over the coming days, it’s likely that you’ll see reduced availability of some products in our stores, and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this may cause. We are working closely with Co-op Group to minimise disruption, prioritising the essential items you need when you’re shopping with us.”
The Grocer has approached other Co-op societies for comment.
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