SUPERMARKET CYBER ATTACKS - HAVEN FOOD COOPERATIVE TO THE RESCUE

June 2nd, 2025.



Following the recent cyber attacks that disrupted supermarket supply chains across East Sussex, the Havens Food Cooperative project has stepped up and rescued and redistributed tons of surplus food over the past week.

The cyber attack, which affected several major supermarket chains nationally, led to mass disruption in stock deliveries. But as deliveries resumed and shelves were restocked, a significant amount of short-dated stock was suddenly at risk of going to waste. That’s when Havens Food Cooperative stepped in.

Over a whirlwind 72 hours, volunteers from Havens Food Cooperative collected vanloads of surplus food from supermarkets in the local area which had been left with crates of perishable items due to the backlog.

"We were notified by one store’s representative on Tuesday morning that they had an unexpected glut of food with limited shelf life, a knock-on effect of the cyber attack recovery process," said Rebecca Woolven, Manager of the Havens Food Cooperative Project. “By Tuesday afternoon our team of volunteers had mobilised to collect and redistribute the first of what turned out to be three days of collections.”

The surplus included tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, and bakery items. Working swiftly, the team sorted and distributed the food using their daily community pantry and network of local community partners, including local projects, groups and community cafes. Rebecca added: “This is exactly why our project is here. We have the vehicles, the volunteers, and the connections to move food fast. When waste becomes a risk, we can collect it from local stores and use it to support the community quickly.

Thanks to the efforts of Havens Food Cooperative, tons of food was saved from landfill and redistributed to support individuals, families and groups in the community- fighting waste and feeding the community.

Want to help?
Havens Food Cooperative relies on donations and volunteers to continue its vital work.

To make a donation: https://localgiving.org/charity/havenscommunityhub

To find out more and get involved: www.havenscommunityhub.co.uk