Cyberattacks on M&S and Co-op trigger shift in UK online shopping habits

Major UK retailers like M&S, Co-op, and Harrods have faced cyberattacks recently. Two-thirds of UK shoppers are now changing how they shop online, a new survey shows.

British retailers have experienced their fair share of cyberattacks in recent weeks, with stores like Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods affected.

New data from insight agency Opinium estimates that 66% of UK consumers are now rethinking how they shop online.

Among 2,000 survey takers in the UK, 23% said they only shop with brands they trust, and 19% have become more scrupulous with their passwords, making changes or updates.

Experts are warning of long-term commercial fallout if trust isn’t rebuilt with shoppers.

UK retailers hit hard

Some of the UK’s major high-street retailers faced trouble in recent weeks, with M&S confirming a month-long breach starting on Easter weekend.

Co-op narrowly avoided devastating consequences through a cyberattack of a similar scale.

Harrods also had to man the fort, with bad actors targeting the British retail giant.

The British government responded by pledging £16 million towards cybersecurity on May 7th.

Data protection now a priority

As the cyberattacks were often top of the news both nationally and internationally, consumer awareness has risen sharply.

The survey also reported that 82% of respondents felt companies should do more to secure personal data, with 78% wanting companies to be more transparent about data protection.

Taking a hiatus from online shopping is a significant option, with 9% of survey takers stating they intend to do so.

High-profile breaches have revealed weak links in retail cyber-infrastructure, with public sentiment clearly calling for urgent action from retailers and tech providers.