UK retailers face rising cyber threats as resilience becomes key

The UK's eCommerce and retail sector is contending with an intensifying cybersecurity threat landscape, with recent cyberattacks disrupting operations at major retailers and highlighting the growing need for resilience.

As global geopolitical tensions escalate, cyberattacks have shifted from being mere technical issues to deliberate acts of disruption against critical industries. Ecommerce, retail, energy, logistics, and finance companies now find themselves on the frontline, with the impact of attacks reaching into boardrooms, supply chains, and directly affecting customer services.

Several high-profile incidents in 2025 have illustrated the severity of the threat. Marks & Spencer, Harrods, and the Co-op Group all reported significant cyber incidents that interrupted online order capabilities, payment system functionality, and customer data services. The consequences of such breaches can extend quickly across operational processes, undermining customer trust, affecting revenues, and damaging brand reputations.

Escalating numbers

Recent statistics underline the scale of the issue. In 2024, 67% of organisations in the energy, oil, and gas sectors worldwide were impacted by ransomware, with average recovery costs reported at USD $3.12 million per incident. During the second quarter of 2025 alone, some 1,600 ransomware incidents were made public across the globe, with Europe accounting for approximately a quarter of those cases.

The UK government's 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey revealed that 43% of all UK businesses had faced a security breach in the previous year, a figure that rises sharply to 74% among large businesses, including several major retailers. The National Cyber Security Centre has also responded to more than 200 nationally significant cyber incidents since September 2024, demonstrating the increasing severity and frequency of cyber threats to UK organisations.

Geopolitics and cyber risk

The relationship between geopolitical conflict and cyber risk is becoming more pronounced. There have been notable cases internationally, such as ransomware attacks crippling South Africa's Transnet ports, which resulted in widespread supply chain delays, and the Colonial Pipeline hack in the United States, which showcased how cyber threats can have immediate real-world consequences.

For retailers, the ripple effects of a cyber incident are felt across the ecosystem - from eCommerce platforms to warehouse management systems and point-of-sale terminals. This breadth of vulnerability demonstrates that resilience is essential for ensuring the continuity of services relied upon by consumers.

The need for resilience

Cybersecurity experts are increasingly emphasising that resilience - the capacity to withstand and recover from attacks - is now the true measure of cybersecurity strength, rather than defence alone. For online retailers, the difference between suffering days of downtime and maintaining uninterrupted service depends on resilient systems.

Generic, off-the-shelf software platforms often struggle in this regard. Built for a wide range of users, they can introduce hidden vulnerabilities, require regular vendor updates, and potentially expose organisations to supply chain risks. By contrast, bespoke systems can be developed with security as a fundamental component, tailored to specific business needs and supported by robust, layered defences.

Andy Brown, founder and director of bespoke software firm Propel Tech, says: "Resilience has to be designed in from the start. When you build from security first principles, you can bake security not as an afterthought but as a first layer. For critical sectors like eCommerce and retail, that's the only safe route."

Strategic imperative

With ransomware and other threats rising in both industrial and commercial settings, cyber resilience is no longer seen solely as an IT responsibility. The issue has become a core strategic and economic consideration. Incidents are increasingly prominent on the agendas of business leaders, who must now decide which systems - whether modernised or newly-built - will offer the resilience required to operate effectively in an uncertain environment.

For those tasked with maintaining critical retail and eCommerce operations, the intensifying threat landscape means that investing in resilience may be the determining factor in future business continuity and customer trust.