Supermarket food shortage as hack attack disrupts supply chain

Morrisons has been hit by food shortages across a number of its UK stores, after the software system used to control its supply chain was targeted by hackers.

Customers have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about the lack of fresh produce at the supermarket over the last few days, as well as via online orders.

It comes after a ransomware attack on the third-party company Blue Yonder caused issues with the supply chain leading to shortages of fruit, veg and meat in stores.

One customer shared an image to X with empty crates of veg with the caption: '10.30 Monday morning 25 November Morley store... wonder why I decided to go, plenty of other empty shelves.'

Another person wrote who took a picture of the empty shelves wrote: 'More reasons not to shop at Morrisons, empty shelf after empty shelf at Blaydon Morrisons. 

'Is this the result of particularly poor stock control in this branch or is it systemic? 

'Whichever, trying to shop there today was a waste of time and a waste of petrol...'

One customer took to Facebook to share their frustration and said: 'Morrisons you can't genuinely think this is acceptable.

'It's like the customers have to choose between stock or staff, as you can't have both!! Absolutely diabolical!'.

Another customer said: 'Morrisons what is going on with your Haverfordwest store? 

'We shop there every week and it used to be a pleasure, but now it’s awful. 

'Empty shelves, aisles like obstacle courses, some seemingly uninterested staff….. Please sort it out.'

Another said: 'Disgusting experience this morning at my local shop. We have snow for one day and then we are faced with empty shelves, not even the basic provisions available. Potatoes, chicken, carrots. Get your act together!'

Morrisons has not said how many of its stores were impacted. 

The Sun reported only fresh produce had been effected and that dried and frozen goods had the usual stock levels. 

A spokesperson for Morrisons told the newspaper: 'Ambient and frozen are unaffected. 

'We are currently operating satisfactorily on our back up systems and we're working very hard to deliver for our customers across the country.'

The spokesperson said issues surrounding the software had now been resolved.

Blue Yonder, which is an Arizona-based subsidiary, supplies software to several grocery chains including Tesco, Starbucks and Sainsbury's.

Sainsbury's was earlier hit by the cyber attack, but said it had procedures in place to mitigate any impact.