Marks and Spencer lacked business continuity plan amid ongoing cyber attack chaos, M&S insider claims

An M&S insider has talked to Sky News about chaotic scenes at the UK high street giant as a cyber attack continues to hit hard.

The incident has cost the retailer millions of pounds in lost sales and a lower share price. M&S has not said what or who knocked out its online ordering systems, paused deliveries and left empty shelves in stores. But it has been linked to a hacking collective known as Scattered Spider.

The insider told Sky News: “We didn't have any business continuity plan [for this], we didn't have a cyber attack plan. In general, it's lots of stress. People have not been sleeping, people have spent their weekends working, people sleeping in the office - just reactive response."

They added: "The idea is to have some services go back online bit by bit. Not do the whole shebang, but allow the people in the store and to allow people online to have services. We're kind of figuring it out as we go. We're not even allowed to use our work devices, so we're having to use our personal devices, all sorts of things.”

"It's just impossible to work because anything about the incident, we're not allowed to talk about on Teams, which is our usual way of chatting… So we have to use WhatsApp to talk to each other."

There is a "sense of paranoia and therefore not everyone knows everything, because we don't know who has been compromised. They are still trying to figure things out."

An M&S spokesperson said: "We have robust business continuity plans and processes in place for managing incidents, led by an experienced team."

An update from our CEO pic.twitter.com/zZ9y4jJk8y

— M&S (@marksandspencer) May 2, 2025

Webinar

Retail ranks among the top industries most vulnerable to cyber security attacks.

Enhancements in digital infrastructures have transformed the way retail stores operate. Increased operating efficiencies, accurate inventory management and a better experience for customers are just some of the benefits.

However, this shift has also increased retails exposure to cyber attack. As operations become increasingly digital and more data is stored and shared online, the importance of strong cyber security measures has never been more critical.

Protecting customer information is not only a legal obligation, but also a key factor in preserving trust and safeguarding brand reputation.

In a webinar, taking place this Thursday (8th May), Xentra will be joined by Vista Retail Technology, to discuss how the industry can build resilience against this increasing threat. Sign up here.

More reactive than proactive in media comms

Following the news of the cyber attack, CARMA, which specialises in brand reputation and media intelligence, analysed how the story evolved with a focus on public trust, customer impact and crisis response. 

Between 29th and 30th April, CARMA’s data shows:

• The story generated 9.47 million impressions across UK online mainstream media in just 48 hours

• 84.6% of news carried a negative sentiment, driven by concerns over disruption, security and leadership visibility

• Within 48 hours, tone shifted with growing focus on financial loss, stock issues and personal impact on customers

• No consistent named M&S spokesperson appeared with most quotes were attributed to anonymous spokespeople

• Globally, the story has now reached over 495.4 million potential impressions in the UK (53.5%) and US (34.9%)

Global conversations reached over 495.4 million potential impressions concentrated in the UK (53.5%) and US (34.9%) with top themes on social media centring on “attack,” “customers,” “chaos,” “suspended,” “payment,” and “delays."

In addition, CARMA tracked a spike in Click and Collect related social media coverage: 

• 89.5 million reach on social mentions tied to M&S and Click and Collect

• Negative sentiment in this stream rose to 28.4%, with cyber related disruption now the dominant theme

Mentions frequently referenced being ‘unable’ to collect, facing ‘delays’, and described the experience as ‘inconvenient’ or ‘impacted’

Michael Simpson, Senior Business Development Manager for Retail at CARMA, says: "While M&S did act swiftly by involving law enforcement, our data analysis shows the brand came across as more reactive than proactive in its comms in the aftermath of the attack.'

"The absence of a visible spokesperson and direct customer facing leadership in media coverage may have amplified concerns about preparedness and impacted trust. In high stakes cyber incidents like this, it's not just about reacting early; it's about showing you're in control, with clear, authoritative messaging front and centre. That kind of visibility is what shapes public trust, even in a crisis, particularly when core services like Click and Collect are affected and disruption becomes personal for customers."

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Cyber security will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.