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• Tue Jun 10 2025

M&S restarts online orders after cyber attack

2 days ago Share Save Michael Race Business reporter, BBC News Share Save

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Marks and Spencer is beginning to take online orders again after it halted purchases through its website in April following a hugely damaging cyber attack. The High Street chain said shoppers were now able to buy a selection of fashion items, such as clothing and footwear, for home delivery in England, Scotland and Wales. It said beauty and homeware products would be available in the coming days, with delivery services to Northern Ireland and click and collect resuming "in the coming weeks". The return of online shopping marks a key milestone for the retailer, which has been struggling to get services back to normal since the cyber attack, which left some shelves empty and deliveries in limbo.

M&S was hit by a cyber attack over the Easter weekend, which initially affected its click and collect and contactless payments. A few days later, the company suspended online orders, and recently warned services would continue to be disrupted until July. On Tuesday, John Lyttle, managing director of fashion, home and beauty at M&S, said a selection of the retailer's "best selling" fashion ranges would now be available online. But M&S customer Andrew Ruddle contacted BBC Your Voice to say there was still "a very, very thin selection in menswear" and a lot of items he would like seemed to be out of stock. "I checked in this morning and basically whatever size I want, whatever colour I want, is unavailable," he said. "From my experience, and I've only dabbled at the fringes, M&S has got a long way to go before they are anywhere near back to a normal service." Another customer, Gill Watkins in Milton Keynes, said she had received nothing from M&S to say online ordering was back up and running and only noticed by chance. Gill told BBC Your Voice that she'd had some items in her basket for two to three weeks and was finally able to purchase some of them, but thinks delivery should have been free. "I would have thought delivery charges would have been waived as an acknowledgment of the inconvenience this mess has caused customers," she said. The BBC has contacted M&S for comment.

M&S has estimated that the cyber attack will hit this year's profits by around ?300m - the equivalent to a third of its profit - and a sum that would only partly be covered by any insurance payout. Some personal customer data was stolen by hackers during the attack, which the retailer has said could have included telephone numbers, home addresses and dates of birth. The company has told customers that the data theft did not include useable payment or card details, or any account passwords.