The Co-op has instructed staff to give greater prominence to vape products in stores as part of efforts to recover from a costly cyber-attack that severely disrupted sales.
An internal document obtained by The Guardian, titled Powering Up: Focus Sprint: Cigs, Tobacco and Vape, reveals that the retailer is increasing the visibility of vapes through new displays, advertising, and a wider range of products. The strategy aims to recapture customers lost after an April cyber incident that caused major stock shortages.
According to the document, the Co-op is missing about £1m in weekly sales and recording 100,000 fewer transactions than before the attack. It states that “at least 40%” of the drop is due to customers shopping elsewhere for cigarettes, tobacco, or vapes.
While the Co-op’s vape sales remain within legal and government guidelines, some employees have voiced discomfort, arguing that the strategy undermines the company’s image as an “ethical” and socially responsible retailer.
“Before, even if I didn’t always enjoy work, I respected the Co-op,” one staff member said. “This goes against everything we’ve done until now – it feels like we’re exploiting a health problem for profit.”
The move also comes amid growing concerns about youth vaping, with health officials warning about the appeal of brightly packaged, sweet-flavoured products. England’s chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, has reiterated that while vaping can help smokers quit, “if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.”
The government’s upcoming tobacco and vapes bill will further restrict vape advertising, packaging, and flavours once enacted.
A Co-op spokesperson defended the retailer’s approach, saying: “Our longstanding commitment to ethical values and responsible retailing remains steadfast. The cyber-attack means we are now even more focused on powering up all aspects of our stores to serve shoppers’ needs.”
The April hack forced the Co-op to shut parts of its IT systems, disrupting grocery operations and even its funeral services. The company estimates the attack wiped out over £200m in sales and will cause a £120m hit to full-year profits.
The vape push is part of a wider “Power Up” programme designed to restore sales across all product categories as the member-owned retailer works to recover from one of the most damaging incidents in its history.
