Marks and Spencer has announced the resumption of online orders after temporarily halting purchases on its website in April due to a significant cyber attack. Customers can now purchase a variety of fashion items, including clothing and footwear, for home delivery in England, Scotland, and Wales. The retailer plans to make beauty and homeware products available in the coming days, with services to Northern Ireland expected to resume in the following weeks. This development signifies a crucial step for M&S as it works towards restoring its services to normalcy following the cyber attack, which led to empty shelves and delayed deliveries.

The cyber attack, which occurred over the Easter weekend, initially impacted M&S's click and collect services and contactless payments. Subsequently, the company suspended online orders and warned customers of ongoing disruptions until July. John Lyttle, the managing director of fashion, home, and beauty at M&S, announced that a selection of the retailer's top-selling fashion ranges would now be accessible online. However, some customers, like Andrew Ruddle, have expressed concerns about the limited availability of menswear items and frequent out-of-stock situations. Ruddle emphasized that M&S still has progress to make before fully restoring its services to pre-attack levels.

M&S anticipates a significant financial impact from the cyber attack, estimating a £300 million reduction in profits for this year, equivalent to a third of its total profit. This loss is expected to be only partially offset by insurance coverage. While hackers managed to steal some personal customer data during the attack, including telephone numbers, home addresses, and dates of birth, M&S has assured customers that usable payment or card details and account passwords were not compromised.