Earlier this month, cyber criminals infiltrated the Co-op’s IT networks apparently trying to extort money from the grocery chain.
The company moved to limit the impact of the attack by shutting down some IT systems, including parts of its supply chain and logistics operations, resulting in huge disruption to deliveries.
Shoppers have shared images of empty store shelves and fridges – which has been a particular issue in rural communities, where the retailer can be the only large food shop.
Co-op says this should improve in the coming days in-store and online, as it works with its suppliers to restock.
It says all payments systems, including contactless payments, are back up and running.
In a statement, the company thanked “colleagues, members, partners and suppliers for their support so far.”
Even though the retailer now hopes to move back to something like business as usual, experts caution the cyber attack will affect the Co-op for some time to come.
“The reputational impact of an attack like this is something that can linger”, Prof Oli Buckley, a cyber security expert at Loughborough University, told BBC News.
“Their work on the recovery helps to soften things slightly, but rebuilding trust is a bit harder,” he said.
The costs of recovery and upgrading security systems could also have a “long-lasting ripple effect” on the company’s finances, he added.
Customers will likely become “more cautious about sharing personal and financial information,” according to Dr Harjinder Lallie, reader in cyber security at the University of Warwick.
The hack is a a reminder for the retail industry that more complicated IT systems and advanced attacks mean “proactive investment in resilience is no longer optional – it’s essential”, he said.
