Cyber Threat Puts Supermarket Supply Chains Under Scrutiny

Supermarkets have held talks with Defra over growing concerns about cyberattacks on Britain’s food supply chains, as the government encourages households to prepare for three days of disruption.

The discussions highlight vulnerabilities extending beyond websites and payment systems to the equipment that keeps food supplies moving and products refrigerated.

According to The Grocer, Defra permanent secretary Paul Kissack told the Public Accounts Committee that an attack on French supermarket refrigeration systems had heightened concerns about UK retailers’ exposure.

“I worry a lot about cyber,” he told MPs.

Kissack warned that internet connectivity runs throughout the food system, while its dispersed structure, comprising tens of thousands of businesses, makes securing every organisation a substantial challenge.

For fresh produce businesses, the focus on refrigeration brings the issue directly into the cold chain, where maintaining suitable storage conditions is fundamental to protecting perishable stock.

Defra’s interim deputy director for food preparedness and response, Helen Dallas, said officials had contacted the National Cyber Security Centre, retailers and other stakeholders following the French incident to check for potential impacts.

She also pointed to lessons from previous attacks affecting Co-op, Marks & Spencer and supply chain technology provider Blue Yonder.

The government’s wider preparedness effort includes a new Food Preparedness Group, established by Defra in October. It brings together industry, government and civil society to address risks ranging from extreme weather to infrastructure failures and major global supply disruptions.

Its two subgroups cover supply chain resilience and preparedness at household and community level. Members include representatives from the British Retail Consortium, Logistics UK, the Cold Chain Federation and the National Farmers Union.

Meanwhile, updated household advice published on 22 October marks the first stage of a three-year “Be Ready” campaign.

It encourages people to keep a small supply of non-perishable food and bottled water, and to consider how they would manage temporary interruptions to power, water, phones or internet access.

The Cabinet Office says the approach is intended to help households cope with three days of disruption and reduce pressure on emergency services, allowing support to be prioritised for those most in need.