Marks & Spencer has temporarily suspended online shopping through its website and mobile apps following a cyber attack that has disrupted operations across its retail network since the weekend.
The retailer confirmed on Thursday that it is “working extremely hard to restart online and app shopping” and apologised for the inconvenience caused to customers. The cyber incident has already affected a range of services, including click-and-collect orders and contactless payments in stores.
“We are truly sorry for this inconvenience,” M&S said in a statement. “Our stores remain open and ready to welcome customers. We informed customers on Tuesday that there was no need for them to take any action — that remains the case, and if the situation changes, we will let them know.”
The disruption was first acknowledged earlier this week when M&S chief executive Stuart Machin contacted customers directly via email, confirming the company was managing a cyber incident. “To protect you and the business, it was necessary to temporarily make some small changes to our store operations, and I am sincerely sorry if you experienced any inconvenience,” Machin wrote.
While the full extent of the attack has not been publicly disclosed, M&S said it has implemented protective measures to secure its systems and reported the breach to both the National Cyber Security Centre and data protection regulators.
The situation has impacted a number of store functions, with some customers reporting difficulties using contactless payment methods. Click-and-collect services have also been paused indefinitely, with no timeline yet provided for their return.
Shares in Marks & Spencer took a hit in Thursday trading, falling by 4.8% amid investor concerns over the scale and duration of the disruption.
The incident comes at a sensitive time for the high street giant, which has been undergoing a major digital transformation to grow its online presence. M&S has yet to confirm whether customer data was compromised but maintains that no immediate action is required from customers at this stage.
The company has pledged to provide further updates as the situation develops and is continuing work to fully restore all online and app-based services.
