Peter Green Chilled, a key distributor to leading UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi, has been hit by a cyber attack, disrupting operations and raising concerns over food supply and waste.
The cyber incident occurred on the evening of Wednesday 15 May. In an internal communication seen by the BBC, Peter Green Chilled informed partners the following day that no new orders would be processed on Thursday 16 May, though any deliveries prepared before the attack would still be dispatched.
Despite the disruption, managing director Tom Binks said the company’s transport operations remained functional. “The transport activities of the business have continued unaffected throughout this incident,” he stated.
The attack has had a direct impact on suppliers who depend on Peter Green Chilled to deliver time-sensitive goods. Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer brand, said he had “something like ten pallets worth of meat products” at the distributor’s facility, warning the stock could go to waste if not delivered in time. “If those products don’t get out to the retailers, they’ll be thrown in the bin,” he said.
Peter Green Chilled joins a growing list of companies in the UK’s food supply chain affected by cyber crime. Earlier this year, M&S and Co-op were also targeted in major cyber attacks, highlighting a concerning trend within the sector.
Cybersecurity and logistics expert Tim Grieveson said attacks like the one on Peter Green Chilled demonstrate how digital threats can have tangible consequences. “Cyberattacks on the supply chain are not just about data breaches,” he said. “When hackers target logistics or warehouse operations, even short delays can be catastrophic—especially for perishable goods like fresh produce or pharmaceuticals.”
Grieveson warned that ransomware can disrupt refrigeration and delay deliveries, leading to “tons of spoiled inventory, lost revenue and empty supermarket shelves.”
In April, M&S suffered significant disruption after hackers accessed its systems through a third-party vendor, resulting in a weeks-long suspension of online orders and millions in lost sales. Co-op also faced a serious cyber breach that it initially downplayed, later admitting that hackers had accessed and leaked customer data.
Peter Green Chilled has not yet confirmed whether customer or supplier data was compromised, but the incident underscores the growing vulnerability of the UK’s food supply chain to cyber threats.
