Morrisons supermarket experienced significant technical difficulties on December 23rd, 2023, disrupting online orders and impacting in-store loyalty card discounts for Christmas shoppers. The issues primarily affected the supermarket’s More Card loyalty program, preventing members from accessing their discounted prices and redeeming accumulated reward points. Click-and-collect and home delivery services were also delayed, leaving customers frustrated and scrambling to secure their Christmas groceries. Some shoppers reported complete order cancellations, although Morrisons attributed these to unrelated operational challenges rather than the IT problems. The disruption occurred on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, adding to the stress and inconvenience for customers trying to finalize their Christmas preparations.
In response to the widespread disruption, Morrisons offered a 10% discount to all shoppers on December 23rd and 24th as a gesture of goodwill. Beyond the general discount, the supermarket also extended the top 100 More Card discounts, typically reserved for loyalty members, to all customers. These deals encompassed essential Christmas items like turkeys, champagne, and discounted vegetables. More Card holders received an additional 10% off their entire shop as an apology for the technical issues. Furthermore, staff were instructed to manually process More Card Fivers (reward vouchers) for customers unable to redeem them digitally due to the system problems. The company’s swift action aimed to mitigate the negative impact on customers and salvage some festive cheer despite the earlier problems.
Customers responded to the compensation efforts with mixed reactions on social media. Many expressed appreciation for the discount, with some confirming successful application at self-checkout. Others shared their relief at receiving More Card Fivers as compensation for missed discounts. However, there were also reports of varying discount amounts, with some customers claiming to have received a 20% reduction instead of the advertised 10%. While the majority welcomed the gesture, the initial frustration and inconvenience caused by the technical glitch remained a point of contention for some shoppers.
The IT failure came at a particularly inopportune time, with December 23rd being the last full trading day before Christmas for many supermarkets. Shoppers were rushing to complete their Christmas shopping, and the technical issues exacerbated the already heightened pressure. Consumer groups like Which? criticized Morrisons for the disruption, urging the supermarket to swiftly resolve the issues and ensure customers received their orders and discounts. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of retailers to technical disruptions, especially during peak shopping periods, underscoring the importance of robust systems and contingency plans.
The technical issues at Morrisons followed earlier reports of a ransomware attack on their software provider, Blue Yonder. This attack reportedly affected the supermarket’s fresh produce supply chain, leading to shortages of fruit and vegetables in some stores. While dried and frozen goods remained unaffected, the previous supply chain disruption further complicated matters for Morrisons, potentially contributing to the overall sense of chaos experienced by customers. The connection between the Blue Yonder attack and the subsequent IT failure related to the More Card system is unclear, but both incidents raised concerns about the resilience of the supermarket’s technology infrastructure.
The incident also brought the practice of loyalty pricing into focus. Supermarkets like Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Morrisons offer exclusive discounts to members of their loyalty programs. While loyalty programs offer potential savings, concerns have been raised about the possibility of supermarkets artificially inflating prices before applying discounts to create the illusion of a better deal. Consumer groups advocate for transparency and vigilance, urging shoppers to compare prices across different retailers and use price comparison websites to ensure they are getting the best value. The Morrisons incident served as a reminder for consumers to be mindful of pricing tactics and to actively seek out the most cost-effective options, especially during high-demand periods like Christmas.
