Branches of British supermarket chain Co-op have been dealing with shortages since mid-last week after a cyberattack on the parent company. The company is working hard to fill the empty shelves.
CEO Mark Cox has thanked customers and members for their patience and understanding while the company works to resolve stock issues in stores. According to Cox, the problems are not a direct result of the attack itself, but of proactive measures to protect their systems.
Customers in the Channel Islands have noticed a significant reduction in stock at Coop stores for over a week. Many islanders have been forced to shop elsewhere due to the limited availability of products.
“We are very sorry if this means our members and customers might not be able to buy some of their usual products from us at the moment,” said Cox. “We have been working around the clock to reduce disruption, sourcing alternative products both locally and from other suppliers, working to get back to full product availability as soon as possible.”
Daily improvements expected
Co-op expects the stock issues to be resolved gradually. They expect to see daily improvements in product delivery to stores. The recovery plan focuses on prioritizing important products, such as fresh food.
The hacker group calling itself ‘DragonForce’ has claimed responsibility for the attack. This group was also responsible for a cyberattack on Marks & Spencer last month.
DragonForce claims to have stolen the personal data of 20 million people in the United Kingdom, including phone numbers and dates of birth. Co-op has assured customers and members in the Channel Islands that their personal data has not been compromised.