‘Shop as normal’: Coles investigates cyber attack

Australia’s second-biggest retailer has been the target of a cyber attack, but it’s still too early to tell if any of its data has been stolen or compromised.

Coles revealed the threat on Monday morning, saying the incident was being investigated with the support of the Australian Cyber Security Centre and global security experts.

“We have not identified any evidence that customer, team or supplier data has been compromised or removed from Coles’ systems,” Coles said in a statement to the stock exchange.

“Operations continue and customers are able to shop as normal with Coles in stores and online.”

Coles apologised to its customers for any concerns they might have at “a time of increasing cyber incidents in Australia and around the world”.

The incident comes after a series of high-profile cyber attacks that have raised concerns about the security of personal information held by major Australian companies.

In 2022, telecommunications giant Optus suffered a devastating data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of customers, while health insurer Medibank was targeted in a separate attack that resulted in sensitive customer information, including health records, being stolen and published online.

More recently, Australian airline Qantas confirmed a major cyber incident in 2025 involving a third-party customer service platform, with information relating to millions of customers affected. The incidents have prompted repeated warnings for Australians to remain alert to suspicious emails, text messages and phone calls, particularly when criminals attempt to exploit fears about stolen personal information.

with Starts at 60 Writers