Coop Sweden has announced that the cyberattack that knocked out checkout systems across its store estate, prompting many outlets to close, has now been resolved.
The group announced that all its stores have now reopened, following 'intensive work' over the past few days to update on-site cash register systems.
"We can state that we have gone through this crisis together – employees, customers and members – in accordance with our cooperative model," commented Magnus Johansson, chief executive of Coop Sweden.
"We have seen heroic efforts all over the country that have made it possible to open our stores at record speed."
The cyberattack, which was aimed at the US-based software Kaseya, also impacted a number of other Swedish and international companies.
Coop Scales Up Mobile Payments
As part of its reopening strategy, Coop Sweden has announced plans to scale up its mobile payment solution, Coop Scan & Pay, to more than 300 stores, to facilitate a wider range of payment options for shoppers.
As it seeks to optimise its cash capacity in stores, it noted that some payment options such as Shop-Express and Snabbkassa will not be available for a short period, while they are being updated.
On a store-by-store basis, the group also said that its operators have worked with community groups during the period of closure to ensure that food doesn't go to waste, with donations offered to various aid organisations across Sweden.
Coop Sweden recently unveiled an initiative whereby shoppers could check the sustainability footprint of a product through scanning its barcode.
Patience And Support
"I want to thank all members and customers for their patience and support, and all suppliers who have been involved," Johansson added. "And of course all the heroes in our stores, who together with customers reduced food waste and found creative solutions."
He added that the business has "learned a great deal" from the cyberattack, which will influence its future strategy.
"We will analyse in the future what further efforts need to be made and how this has affected us both financially and in other ways," he said. "But for now, we are happy that we are back."
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
