Morrisons struggles with food shortages following cyber attack on supply chain

In the United Kingdom, Morrisons has been hit hard by significant food shortages in several of its supermarket locations following a cyber attack that occurred last week. The attack targeted Blue Yonder, a third-party company responsible for managing Morrisons' supply chain systems. As a result, customers have reported empty shelves and a lack of fresh produce including fruits, vegetables, and meats. While ambient and frozen food supplies remained unaffected, the disruption sparked a wave of complaints from shoppers on social media, who expressed frustration over the unavailability of goods and the lack of communication from the supermarket chain regarding the situation. The cyber attack caused a significant impact on warehouse management systems, leading to delays and logistical challenges for Morrisons. Shoppers across various locations, including Morley and Blaydon, took to platforms like Twitter to share images of the empty shelves they encountered while shopping. Many customers questioned whether the unavailability of goods stemmed from the cyber incident or was indicative of broader stock control failures within specific branches. Some shoppers speculated about external factors that might contribute to the situation, such as bad weather, which led to theories regarding stockpiling or supply chain disruptions due to conditions like Storm Bert and recent snowfall. Despite Morrisons' spokesperson stating that the company has since switched to backup systems in an effort to resolve the issue, the effects were still visibly felt in stores. Customers reported encountering empty shelves even in the early hours of the day, with major categories such as fresh meat and vegetables being notably scarce. The supermarket chain has not disclosed the number of stores impacted but the issue appears to have affected locations nationwide, as evidenced by the widespread posts on social media detailing customers' shopping frustrations. The incident has raised concerns regarding Morrisons' crisis communication strategies. Many shoppers voiced their discontent over the apparent lack of official statements from the supermarket chain, which could have helped to manage customer expectations and avoid unnecessary trips to stores. The response from Morrisons indicates that they are aware of the issue and are working to rectify the situation, but the perception among shoppers is that more proactive communication could have alleviated some of the frustration experienced during this disruption.