Co-op posts half-year loss after cyber attack that hit data for all 6.5 million members
Six months to July 5, 2025, the group reports £75 million underlying pre-tax loss with an £80 million hit from a April breach that disrupted sales and operations
The Co-operative Group reported a first-half loss after a malicious cyber attack in April cost about £80 million, with data stolen from all of its 6.5 million members. For the six months to July 5, 2025, the retailer posted an underlying pre-tax loss of £75 million, down from profits of £3 million a year earlier as the breach weighed on performance and sales fell by roughly £206 million.
The group said it also recorded a £32 million underlying operating loss, versus £47 million in underlying operating profit a year earlier, as the incident disrupted operations and shopper activity.
The attack was described as “sophisticated,” but the company said it acted quickly to shut down parts of its IT systems to contain the threat. The breach disrupted some payments and left shelves empty in parts of the network, though essential services, including its funerals business, were kept running and stock was prioritised for rural lifeline stores.
In July, Co-op confirmed that all 6.5 million members had their personal data stolen. Hackers copied one file but were unable to attack other platforms or deploy ransomware.
The group said it supported independent co-op societies and franchise partners to minimise disruption and, as a gesture of thanks, offered members a £10 discount on a £40 shop during the disruption period.
Debbie White, chairwoman, said: “The first half of 2025 brought significant challenges, most notably from a malicious cyber attack. Our balance sheet strength and the magnificent response of our 53,000 colleagues enabled us to maintain vital services for our members and their communities.”
Chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq added: “The cyber attack highlighted many of our strengths. But more importantly, it also highlighted areas we need to focus on—particularly in our food business. We’ve already started on this journey, refining our member and customer proposition, making structural changes to our business, and setting our Co-op up for long-term success.”
The group signaled that the fallout is expected to continue in a reduced form in the second half of its financial year, as management accelerates changes to the food strategy and seeks to improve efficiency to protect earnings going forward.