Supermarkets across the UK, particularly Morrisons, are experiencing significant food shortages. This situation is the result of a cyberattack that disrupted supply chains, especially ambient and frozen food ranges, which are affected by the issue.
This has resulted in bare shelves in many stores, raising concerns about food availability and the overall resilience of grocery supply systems.
Taking to X, @DarryNewton wrote, “Morrisons St Albans early Christmas rush or supply shortages? Either way, the store looks like it’s been ransacked.”
@Martin said, “Any chance of getting some stock on the shelves at Morrisons Harwood Bolton…no salad or vegetables this morning again.”
Morrisons confirmed that the shortage hit after the Blue Yonder suffered a ransomware attack that impacted warehouse supply chains. Most affected products are fresh produce, dairy items, and certain packaged goods.
Shoppers have reported difficulty finding staples like bread, milk, and vegetables, prompting concerns over food security.
Morrison’s spokesperson said, “Last week Blue Yonder suffered an outage, which has impacted our warehouse management systems for fresh and produce.
Ambient and Frozen are unaffected. We are currently operating on our backup systems, and we’re working very hard to deliver for our customers across the country.”
Blue Yonder said in a statement last week, “On November 21, 2024, Blue Yonder experienced disruptions to its managed services hosted environment, which was determined to be the result of a ransomware incident.”
“Since learning of the incident, the Blue Yonder team has been working diligently together with external cybersecurity firms to make progress in their recovery process. We have implemented several defensive and forensic protocols.” – they added.
On Sunday morning, the supply chain management company shared subsequent updates, saying, “The Blue Yonder team is working around the clock to respond to this incident and continues to make progress.”
Experts suggest these ongoing challenges may lead consumers to rethink their shopping habits. With a growing awareness of food supply vulnerabilities, shoppers may begin prioritizing local produce and alternative sources of food.
Community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs and farmers’ markets could see increased interest as consumers seek more reliable sources for their groceries.