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Co-op says cyber-attack cost it £206m in lost sales

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The Co-op has said the cyber-attack it suffered earlier this year cost it at least £206m in lost revenues.

The retailer’s IT networks were infiltrated by hackers in April, resulted in payment problems, widespread shortages of goods in shops, and the loss of customer data.

Co-op chair Debbie White said the “malicious” attack had caused “significant challenges” in the first half of 2025.

Overall, the retailer reported a £75m underlying pre-tax loss in the six months to 5 July, compared to a £3m profit in the same period a year earlier.

It also said profits were hit by increased staffing costs and regulations, as well as the cyber-attack.

The full cost of the attack could be much higher as the Co-op said it was also expecting there to be some impact to its business in the second half of the year.

Ms White said the group must now rebuild “better and stronger to meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead”.

Co-op reported its total group revenue – the amount of money a company makes from all its business activities – was £5.48bn.

That’s a decrease from the £5.6bn it reported as total group revenue for the same period in 2024.

April’s cyber-attack resulted in empty store shelves and issues with digital payments. The disruption was particularly felt in some rural areas where the local Co-op is the only large supermarket.

After initially downplaying the attack, the Co-op later admitted all 6.5 million of its member customers had their data stolen.

The business’s funeral homes also had to resort to paper-based systems.

Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said she was proud of how the business had responded to the attack and that it highlighted many “strengths”.

“It also highlighted areas we need to focus on – particularly in our Food business,” she said.

The attack on the Co-op came amid a challenging period for the group, as it faces rising costs and and pressure on consumer confidence from the rising cost of living.

Last year, the company reported improved profits but warned in April it would face more than £200m in costs and spending pressures in 2025, including £80m from the impact of shoplifting.

Marks & Spencer and Harrods were both hit by cyber-attacks around the same time, but the Co-op was able to resume normal trading at a faster pace as it discovered the attack earlier.

Marks & Spencer, which stopped all online sales for six weeks following its hack, said it faced a £300m financial hit.

Speaking exclusively to the BBC, hackers who claimed to be responsible for the Co-op cyber-attack said they breached the company’s computer systems long before they were discovered.

But the attackers also said that the Co-op disconnected the internet from IT networks in the nick of time to stop the hackers from deploying ransomware and causing even more disruption.

At the end of August, carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) also suffered a cyber-attack and the company was forced to shut down its IT networks.

Production at its factories in the UK was also shutdown as a result, and will remain suspended until October at the earliest affecting suppliers as well as factory workers.

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England unchanged for Women’s World Cup final

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25 September 2025

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Alastair Telfer

BBC Sport journalist

England have named an unchanged team for the Women’s Rugby World Cup final against Canada on Saturday at Twickenham.

John Mitchell has opted to stick with the same starting XV and replacements who overcame a slow start to defeat France 35-17 in the last four.

Zoe Aldcroft captains the Red Roses in their seventh straight World Cup final.

England have not won the tournament since 2014, losing the past two finals to New Zealand.

Star full-back Ellie Kildunne, Abby Dow, Zoe Harrison, Amy Cokayne, Aldcroft, Abbie Ward and Alex Matthews all retain their spots from the starting XV defeated by the Black Ferns three years ago.

The Red Roses, who are on a record 32-Test winning run, have not lost since that defeat at Eden Park.

They went into that match having won their previous 30 games, and are up against an in-form Canada side on Saturday.

Kevin Rouet’s side, ranked number two in the world, have looked a class above all their opponents this tournament and delivered a remarkable semi-final performance to comfortably defeat New Zealand and reach their first World Cup final since they lost to England in 2014.

Canada are semi-professional, and have had to crowdfund nearly a third of the budget for their World Cup campaign – they are currently at 95% of their million-dollar fundraising goal entitled Mission: Win Rugby World Cup.

England have been professional since 2019 and are favourites to lift a home World Cup in front of an 82-000 capacity, sold-out Twickenham.

Saturday’s crowd will surpass the 58,498 who watched England beat France at the same stadium in the 2023 Six Nations – the previous record for a XV-a-side match – and the 66,000 who watched the women’s rugby sevens at Stade de France during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“Our staff and players have worked hard to reach this stage of the tournament,” Mitchell said.

“Playing a World Cup final at Allianz Stadium [Twickenham] in front of a record 82,000 is a significant milestone for the sport.

“We are well prepared for the challenge against Canada. It is number one versus number two in the world, and we know the contest will demand a full 80 minutes. Our focus remains on staying in our process and executing effectively.”

Since taking over the role as head coach in 2023, Mitchell has built depth by rotating his squad regularly to build two strong teams.

Holly Aitchison impressed off the bench at inside centre in the semi-final win, while former England World Cup-winner Kat Merchant called for Lucy Packer to start at scrum-half over Natasha Hunt.

But Mitchell as expected has gone for consistency in selection instead of making a big call to unsettle his preferred matchday 23.

His side defeated Canada by nine points when they met in the WXV1 last year in Vancouver.

Women’s Rugby World Cup final: England v Canada

Saturday, 27 September at 16:00 BST

Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Watch on iPlayerListen on Sounds

Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website and app

Line-up

England: Kildunne; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Harrison, Hunt; Botterman, Cokayne, Muir, Talling, Ward, Aldcroft (capt), Kabeya, Matthews.

Replacements: Atkin-Davies, Clifford, Bern, Galligan, Feaunati, L Packer, Aitchison, Rowland.

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Government considers financial support for Jaguar Land Rover suppliers after cyber-attack

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47 minutes ago

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25 September 2025

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45 minutes ago

Simon JackBusiness editor and

Chris MasonPolitical editor

imageEPA

Ministers are considering stepping in to support Jaguar Land Rover’s suppliers after the carmaker was forced to suspend production after a cyber-attack.

The attack at the end of August meant JLR was forced to shut down its IT networks. Its factories remain suspended until next month at the earliest.

Fears are growing that some suppliers, in particular the smaller firms who solely rely on JLR’s business, could go bust without support.

One idea being explored is the government buying the component parts the suppliers build, to keep them in business until JLR’s production lines are up and running again.

If the government were to step in, it is believed to be the first time that a company received help as a result of a cyber-attack, although such attacks are a relatively new phenomenon.

JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, would normally expect to build more than 1,000 cars a day at its three factories in Solihull and Wolverhampton in West Midlands, and Halewood in Merseyside.

However, workers were sent home following the hack – which first came to light on 1 September – with no firm return date.

An investigation is under way into the attack, which is believed to be costing the company at least £50m a week in lost production.

JLR confirmed this week that its factories will not resume operations until at least 1 October, with earlier reports suggesting the disruption could last into November.

Unions have called for a Covid-style furlough scheme, but ministers have ruled this out given its likely cost, sources have told the BBC.

While the purchase and stockpiling of car parts by the government is an option on the table, this would present considerable logistical challenges.

JLR’s manufacturing process relies on the right part arriving at the right place, at the right time.

However, industry experts agree doing nothing risks firms in the supply chain, which employs tens of thousands of workers, facing bankruptcy.

Another option being considered is providing government-backed loans to suppliers, though this is understood to be unpopular with suppliers.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said the companies in JLR’s supply chain had been “very successful” and he supported offering them government-backed loans.

“I would argue if you think of the total income that JLR and its supply chain put into the Exchequer, this is a good deal for the Exchequer,” he said.

The firm also has large factories in Slovakia and China, as well as a smaller facility in India, which have also been affected by the shutdown.

The Business and Trade Select Committee is due to meet on Thursday afternoon to hear testimonies from businesses in JLR’s supply chain because of deep concern for some of these businesses to remain viable.

This evidence will be shared with the government afterwards.

Senior government figures are concerned about a pattern of cyber-attacks on UK institutions and businesses, such as the British Library, Marks & Spencer, and the Co-op.

A group calling itself Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters has claimed responsibility for the hack on JLR, Marks & Spencer, and Co-op.

On Thursday, Co-op reported that the cyber-attack it suffered earlier this year cost it at least £206m in lost revenues.

Since the attack on JLR, the carmaker has been receiving support from the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency.

About 30,000 people are directly employed at the company’s plants with a further 100,000 working in the firm’s supply chain.

On Tuesday, the business secretary and industry minister visited the West Midlands for the first time since the incident to meet JLR and the firms in its supply chain.

Speaking during the visit to JLR’s roof supplier, Webasto, in Sutton Coldfield, Industry Minister Chris McDonald said it was “really important that we don’t impose solutions on businesses but that we work with them”.

The Department for Business and Trade said ministers had discussed “the impacts of the cyber-incident and how JLR can work towards restarting production”.

In its most recent statement, JLR said: “Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues, and our retailers, who remain open.”

Additional reporting by Pritti Mistry

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Labour MPs are privately urging me to challenge PM, says Burnham

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25 September 2025

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Andy Burnham has said MPs have privately called on him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer to become Labour leader and prime minister.

In the Daily Telegraph the Greater Manchester mayor, who is not currently an MP, said he was not “plotting to get back” to Westminster but in the interview he did not rule out running again for the leadership.

He said: “I stood twice to be leader of the Labour Party. And I think that tells you, doesn’t it?”

Steve Reed, the housing secretary, said Burnham was entitled “to make his case” but pointed out he had previously promised to serve a full term as mayor.

Reed suggested Burnham had been taking “potshots” at the prime minister and dismissed discussion of the Labour Party’s leadership as “tittle tattle”.

The housing secretary said Sir Keir had “picked this party up off the floor and led us through a record general election victory”.

“Our job now is to talk to the country, not ourselves about how we’re going to change the things they care about,” Reed said.

Burnham is not an MP and would need to become one, by winning a by-election, and resign as mayor before he could even begin the process of trying to challenge Sir Keir as Labour leader.

But no by-elections have been called at the moment and there’s uncertainty over whether he would be selected as a candidate if the opportunity did arise.

His critics have also pointed out Burnham, a former culture and health secretary, tried and failed twice to become Labour leader when he was an MP.

In previous leadership campaigns, Burnham lost out to Ed Miliband in 2010 and Jeremy Corbyn in 2015.

Burnham came fourth in 2010, and second in 2015, losing out by a wide margin to Corbyn, who won with almost 60% of the vote.

Burnham’s latest interview comes ahead of Labour’s autumn conference, and after Sir Keir faced pressure from some MPs following the resignation of his deputy Angela Rayner and his sacking of Peter Mandelson.

The mayor also told the Telegraph that Number 10 had created a “climate of fear” among some MPs.

“People have contacted me throughout the summer”, he said when asked if other MPs had urged him to run for the Labour leadership.

“I’m not going to say to you that that hasn’t happened, but as I say, it’s more a decision for those people than it is for me.”

His comments, likely to be seen as a pitch for a leadership bid, come after his interview with the New Statesman on Wednesday where he criticised the prime minister’s approach, saying there needed to be “wholesale change” to see off an “existential” threat to Labour.

Burnham said he was not attracted to going back to the old way of doing things in Westminster but added: “I’m happy to play any role. I am ready to play any role in that. Yes. Because the threat we’re facing is increasingly an existential one.”

Burnham said he was ready to work with anybody with a “plan to turn the country around” – including the Liberal Democrats and Jeremy Corbyn.

Labour MP Callum Anderson accused Burnham of “wishful thinking” on economic policy, for saying in his New Statesman interview the government has to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets”.

Anderson, who is a parliamentary private secretary to the cabinet minister Liz Kendall, wrote on X: “To lead a Labour government – and a Labour Treasury – you can’t just dismiss the bond markets.

“Every pound spent on schools, hospitals and infrastructure depends on credibility with those who lend to the UK. Real change requires fiscal discipline, not wishful thinking.”

Those around Burnham say his comments have nothing to do with leadership ambitions, dismissing that as “Westminster speculation”.

But they also say that Burnham felt that something needed to be said about the “factional” way Number 10 was operating, as well as the need for the prime minister’s team to listen to a wider range of voices.

“What we need is a plan to defeat Reform,” one ally said.

In the interview with the Daily Telegraph Burnham said higher council tax on expensive homes in London and the South East; £40bn of borrowing to build council houses; income tax cuts for lower earners; and a 50p rate for the highest-paid would “turn the country around”.

Sir Keir has faced mounting pressure from within his party over his handling of the row over Peter Mandelson, who was eventually sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US following more details emerging about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

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