A cyber-attack has left Machynlleth’s only supermarket with empty shelves, with some residents ‘turning up at farms’ in an attempt to find fresh produce.
The Co-op supermarket chain fell victim to a sustained cyber attack in April causing the business to shut down some of their systems and disrupting deliveries as a result.
The attack which hit both Co-op and M&S, leaking customer data and disrupting operations, has hit rural communities hardest, with Machynlleth facing empty shelves for over a week whilst the businesses worked to get systems back online.
Roz Corbett, grower for market garden Gerddi Glandyfi, reported people “just turning up at the farm” to try and find fresh fruit and vegetables.
She said: “As local growers, we have been inundated with requests for produce and had the biggest turnover on the Fresh and Local stall at the Wednesday market in Machynlleth.
“I’ve even had people turning up at the market garden where I work asking if I’ve got anything to sell.
“We hope this shows to people the importance of supporting a diverse food economy and the strengths of short supply chains.
“Supermarkets have a huge amount of power in our food system, making it hard for small farms and growers to compete, but this kind of thing shows that supermarkets can’t always be relied on to deliver.
“We have a great local food economy in this area with Mach veg box, the veg stall, independent retailers like Dyfi Wholefoods, and it's important that independent diverse food economies like this are supported by consumers and the government alike.”
However Ms Corbett said the cyber attack has come at the end of the ‘hungry gap’ - the period in late spring when all winter crops have finished but the new crops aren’t big enough to be harvested yet, meaning the local growers currently “aren’t able to meet demand” - adding “it’s a well-timed cyber atack if it was to teach people about seasonality!”
Fresh fruit and vegetables have been the main items missing from Machynlleth shelves, whilst meat, pre-made chilled food and some non-perishables are also starting to become out of stock.
Concerns have also been raised over the farmers whose supply chain will have been affected.
The Co-op have said “remote lifeline stores” such as Islay would receive extra deliveries from 12 May.
Responding to the Cambrian News, a Co-op spokesperson said deliveries are now being made to all stores, “flowing in an increased level of fresh, chilled and frozen products alongside cupboard essentials”.
The spokesperson added: “All our stores are open and trading... Some of our stores might not have all their usual products available, and we are sorry if this is the case for our members’ and customers in their local store.
“We are working around the clock to reduce disruption and are pleased to have resumed delivery of stock to our shelves."