Marks & Spencer Enters Second Week of Online Disruption Following Cyberattack

Marks & Spencer has been unable to process online clothing and home orders for a second week following a significant cyberattack, resulting in a loss of approximately £700 million in market value. The retailer halted online operations after experiencing technical issues with payment and collection services, and while CEO Stuart Machin apologized to customers, there is no current timeline for resumption. The incident coincides with similar cyberattacks on other major UK retailers, including the Co-op Group—which confirmed theft of customer data—and Harrods, prompting the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre to call it a 'wake-up call' for the industry. Analysts warn that the disruption will likely cause a short-term profit hit for M&S, which generates about a third of its clothing and home sales online, and note that the duration of the outage is particularly concerning. The broader wave of cyberattacks in the UK has led to tens of millions of pounds in losses and long recovery periods for affected organizations. Experts say the M&S breach highlights the urgent need for increased cybersecurity measures across all sectors.