M&S stops online orders after cyber attack; Shares Drop 5%

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has paused all online shopping, including food deliveries and clothing orders, as it battles to recover from a major cyber attack.

The British retailer confirmed the incident on Tuesday, with customers reporting website glitches since last weekend. Shares fell by 5% on Friday after the company announced the shutdown.

Timeline of the Cyber Incident

• Last Weekend: Customers began experiencing issues placing online orders.

• Tuesday: M&S officially confirmed a “cyber incident” and reported it to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

• Friday: The retailer suspended all online and app orders, including Click & Collect services.

Impact on Customers

M&S apologized on social media, saying, “We are truly sorry for this inconvenience.” Key disruptions include:

• Gift Cards: Cannot be used in stores or online.

• Click & Collect: Parcels already marked “ready for pickup” can be collected, but new orders are paused.

• Food Deliveries: Fully halted until further notice.

Stores remain open, but frustrated shoppers have flooded M&S’s social media with complaints. One customer wrote, “My wedding outfits are stuck in limbo!” Another added, “No groceries for days—this is a nightmare.”

M&S’s Response

The company stated its IT team and external cyber experts are working “around the clock” to restore services. “We’re holding all parcels in stores to avoid returns,” M&S assured customers. The National Crime Agency (NCA) is also supporting the investigation.