A series of recent cyberattacks of major brands including Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Adidas revealed significant vulnerabilities within the modern retail sector.
The UK government predicts cybercrime will grow by 15-20% annually, meaning over 2.8 million incidents could occur in 2025 as reported by the UK National Cyber Strategy.
In the organisations best mitigating these risks, procurement teams are leading the charge to drive cyber resilience by evolving their process from cost managers to risk managers. However, our findings show less than a quarter of procurement functions even recognise cyber-resilience as a strategic concern.
The impact of cyberattacks
Nearly half of the UK’s food supply depends on temperature-controlled logistics, a vulnerability exposed when Peter Green Chilled suffered a ransomware attack, disrupting deliveries to major retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury’s. At the same time, cyberattacks on Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and the Co-op disrupted store operations, left shelves empty, compromised customer data, and caused lasting issues with M&S’s online and Click & Collect services.
While the average financial cost of a ransomware attack in the UK has now reached £1.5 million, the broader implications for supermarkets extend beyond monetary loss. Reputational harm, erosion of customer trust, and long-term attrition are increasingly becoming the true costs of these cybersecurity failures—costs that the retail sector can ill afford amid rising competition and supply chain pressures.
How prepared is the sector?
Reflecting these concerns, 4C Associates’ recent annual survey, involving over 300 business leaders and procurement professionals found that despite growing digital threats, only 24.7% of surveyed organisations consider cyber and data security a critical strategic concern. This suggests a potential gap in risk awareness or preparedness in this area.
88% of business leaders and procurement professionals identified supply chain and supplier resilience as major procurement challenges. This underscores a strong industry focus on building more robust and adaptable supply networks. To safeguard their supply chains against future threats, businesses must adopt a more agile and dynamic approach that considers a broader scope of commercial and operational risks within a comprehensive and robust risk management framework.
The role of procurement in driving cyber resilience
Procurement’s role in building cyber-resilient supply chains is pivotal as a function, they must push beyond cost, delivery, and supplier performance to assess suppliers’ risk and cybersecurity maturity. This vetting includes:
- Cyber security-vetting of suppliers, ensuring that partners hold certifications such as Cyber Essentials or are certified to ISO 27001
- Embedding robust cybersecurity provisions in contracts, including clearly defined breach response protocols and insurance requirements
- Diversifying logistics partners to reduce dependency on single partners and minimize potential points of failure
- Creating effective supply chain resilience, by enhancing visibility and transparency to enable informed decision-making, improved operational agility and proactive management of risk through contingency planning
- Collaborating with IT teams to ensure that supplier onboarding aligns with the organisation’s cybersecurity standards and ensure the development of contingency planning.
- Investing in training and awareness programmes to strengthen cybersecurity practices throughout the supply chain
As cyber threats continue to escalate, resilience is no longer optional and more than a necessity—it’s a competitive advantage. The organisations best positioned to succeed are those that recognise cybersecurity not merely as an IT concern, but as a fundamental business priority.
At 4C Associates, we recognise that in today’s digital-first world, procurement teams play a critical role in safeguarding supply chains against cyber threats. The recent cyber-attacks on UK supermarkets have made it clear: resilience is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.
We support organisations in assessing supplier risk, integrating cybersecurity into procurement processes, and developing agile, future-ready supply chains. If your goal is to strengthen your supply chain’s defences and enhance overall operational resilience, we are ready to assist.
GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR TEAM TODAY
To explore how we can help you turn risk into resilience, please don’t hesitate to contact Bruce Kirkwood, Manager, Joe Gibson, Director Head of Digital or Allison Ford-Langstaff, Managing Partner at 4C Associates.
