Everything we know about the Peter Green Chilled cyber attack
A ransomware attack on the chilled food distributor highlights the supply chain risks within the retail sector


Following cyber attacks on several British retailers, food logistics company Peter Green Chilled has been hit by a ransomware attack too.
In an email seen by the BBC, the firm, which supplies several major UK supermarkets, said the incident took place last week, but that its transport operations weren't affected.
The distributor is working with clients on how to keep deliveries going, it said, but has suspended order processing for the time being. It's not known whether the company has received a ransom demand, or who carried out the attack.
Somerset-based Peter Green transports chilled food, mainly to regional stores. It supplies several major supermarkets in the UK, including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose, as well as M&S and Co-op.
The short shelf life of the products that the company handles increases the pressure to pay the ransom - though it's not known whether Peter Green has done so. The tactic mirrors the strategy used by attackers when targeting the healthcare and manufacturing sectors, focusing on operational disruption rather than data theft.
"Food suppliers like Peter Green Chilled are increasingly attractive targets for cybercriminals - not just for the data they hold, but because any operational disruption has immediate and far-reaching consequences. In industries where downtime hits supply chains within hours, the stakes couldn’t be higher," said Lee Driver, vice president of managed security services at Ekco.
"Like retail, the food supply chain is a sprawling ecosystem of suppliers, logistics providers, and digital infrastructure. Once attackers find a way in, they can move laterally at speed - crippling systems that underpin everything from production to delivery."
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
The incident follows recent attacks on the Co-op, Harrods, and M&S - the latter of which is continuing to feel the consequences. The company said this week that it expects disruption to its online services to last until July and that its profits are likely to be down by around £300 million as a result.
According to Sophos, 45% of retail organizations were hit by ransomware last year - down from 69% in 2023. However, the retail sector reported the second-highest data extortion rate, at 5%, and the mean cost to recover was $2.73 million, up from $1.85 million in 2023.
Six-in-ten organizations paid the ransom, marking an increase from 43% the year before, although the average payment fell by two-thirds.
"In food retail, even short-term disruption can lead to spoilage, logistical bottlenecks, and loss of consumer trust," commented David Mound, senior penetration tester at third-party risk management platform SecurityScorecard.
"Attackers are no longer just targeting data; they’re targeting urgency. In environments where product expiration and just-in-time delivery are business-critical, threat actors understand that every hour offline amplifies the pressure to pay."
MORE FROM ITPRO
- ]Why retail is a top target for cyber attacks
- Harrods hit by cyber attack as UK retailers battle threats
- Cyber attacks have rocked UK retailers – here's how you can stay safe
Emma Woollacott is a freelance journalist writing for publications including the BBC, Private Eye, Forbes, Raconteur and specialist technology titles.
-
AI coding tools are booming – and developers in this one country are by far the most frequent users
News AI coding tools are soaring in popularity worldwide, but developers in one particular country are among the most frequent users.
-
Cisco warns of critical flaw in Unified Communications Manager – so you better patch now
News While the bug doesn't appear to have been exploited in the wild, Cisco customers are advised to move fast to apply a patch
-
A prolific ransomware group says it’s shutting down and giving out free decryption keys to victims – but cyber experts warn it's not exactly a 'gesture of goodwill'
News The Hunters International ransomware group is rebranding and switching tactics
-
Swiss government data published following supply chain attack – here’s what we know about the culprits
News Radix, a non-profit organization in the health promotion sector, supplies a number of federal offices, whose data has apparently been accessed.
-
Ransomware victims are getting better at haggling with hackers
News While nearly half of companies paid a ransom to get their data back last year, victims are taking an increasingly hard line with hackers to strike fair deals.
-
LockBit data dump reveals a treasure trove of intel on the notorious hacker group
News An analysis of May's SQL database dump shows how much LockBit was really making
-
‘I take pleasure in thinking I can rid society of at least some of them’: A cyber vigilante is dumping information on notorious ransomware criminals – and security experts say police will be keeping close tabs
News An anonymous whistleblower has released large amounts of data allegedly linked to the ransomware gangs
-
It's been a bad week for ransomware operators
News A host of ransomware strains have been neutralized, servers seized, and key players indicted
-
Scattered Spider: Who are the alleged hackers behind the M&S cyber attack?
News The Scattered Spider group has been highly active in recent years
-
Ransomware attacks are rising — but quiet payouts could mean there's more than actually reported
News Ransomware attacks continue to climb, but they may be even higher than official figures show as companies choose to quietly pay to make such incidents go away.