June 13, 2025

What is supplier diversity, and why should you care?

Last week, I walked into a Co-op store and faced what can only be described as post-apocalyptic aisles — eerily empty, staff apologetic, and shoppers confused. The culprit? A cyber attack that forced one of the UK’s largest mutuals into a digital lockdown.

This isn’t just a Co-op problem. It’s a warning shot across the bow for any business — especially in Fintech, Greentech, and the Arts & Culture sectors — that relies on digital systems to serve real-world customers.

Here’s what went wrong, and more importantly, what leaders should be thinking about right now.

The Anatomy of a Modern Cyber Attack

The Co-op’s incident, reportedly linked to the infamous Scattered Spider group, followed a now-familiar playbook:

Infiltrate key systems

Extract sensitive data

Force the organisation into defensive mode, taking systems offline

For the Co-op, this meant stock ordering paralysis. For M&S, it meant a total online shutdown since 25 April. The financial and reputational damage? Running into the millions.

But here’s the real kicker: even basic operations — stocking shelves — were crippled by digital dependency.

The Hidden Cost of Cyber Incidents: Lost Trust, Not Just Lost Sales

When customers see empty shelves, the instinctive reaction isn’t empathy for your IT team. It’s a loss of trust:

"Is this store safe?"

"Are my payment details secure?"

"Can I rely on them next week?"

In sectors like Fintech and Greentech, where trust is everything, similar incidents could spell existential risk.

The lesson? Cyber resilience isn’t just an IT concern. It’s a board-level, brand-defining priority.

The Recovery Phase Trap: Why "Back to Normal" Isn’t Good Enough

The Co-op’s "recovery phase" highlights another critical point: systems don’t just snap back to life.

Rebuilding secure, trusted digital infrastructure takes time:

Cleansing and validating data

Hardening systems against repeat attacks

Rebuilding customer trust through transparent communication

For leadership teams, the takeaway is brutal: if you haven’t planned your recovery playbook in advance, you’re already behind.

Actionable Playbook for Leaders: Preparing Now for the Next Attack

Every CEO, COO, and CTO reading this should be asking:
✅ When was our last full-scale cyber resilience test?
✅ How fast can we recover core operations after an attack?
✅ Do we have a clear customer communication plan for a breach scenario?
✅ Are our third-party vendors (yes, that includes recruitment partners!) held to the same security standards?

In Fintech, Greentech, and Cultural Institutions, where lean teams wear multiple hats, this kind of preparedness is often neglected. That’s a mistake you can’t afford.

Conclusion:

The Co-op cyber attack is a headline today — but it could easily be your story tomorrow.

If empty shelves in a grocer cause chaos, imagine what a similar attack could do to a Fintech payment gateway, a Greentech IoT platform, or a cultural institution’s membership database.

Digital resilience isn’t optional — it’s foundational. And building it starts with leadership owning the challenge, not passing it down the line.

So here’s the uncomfortable question to leave you with:

👉 If you were hit tomorrow, would your systems — and your reputation — survive the weekend?

Sources:

Sky News, James Sillars: Co-op updates on recovery after cyber attack forced empty shelves (14 May 2025)

Additional reporting: Sky News coverage of M&S and Harrods incidents

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