A new market disruptor is hitting grocery store shelves. In the coming weeks, as flu season begins, shoppers may notice empty spaces that once held their Clorox cleaning supplies.
This time the culprit is not a pandemic, but a cyber attack.
one in Filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission On Monday, the Clorox company said it had Identified There was unauthorized activity on some of its information technology systems and it was forced to process orders manually. It said the slow pace of operations was affecting the availability of its products.
“The cyber security attack compromised parts of the company’s IT infrastructure, causing a wide-scale disruption to Clorox’s operations,” it said. The company said it learned of the breach on August 11 and disclosed it in an SEC filing three days later.
Clorox, a publicly traded company, said it expected to return to automated processing of orders next week. It “has resumed production at most of its manufacturing sites and expects to ramp up to full production over time.”
But it did not give an estimate of how long it would take to return to normal. It said that due to the cyber attack, “there has been and is likely to be further disruption to certain parts of the company’s business operations.”
Clorox is not alone in reporting recent cyberattacks. Last week, casino and hotel chain MGM Resorts International said a “cybersecurity issue” was affecting some of its online systems, causing disruption for customers, particularly in Las Vegas.
Other cyberattacks around the world have hit gasoline pipelines, hospitals, grocery chains and one of the world’s largest meat processors.
Such attacks have contributed to turmoil in the consumer goods market that has been exacerbated by the pandemic, leading to panic buying of toilet paper, cleaning products and household items. Consumers have faced recalls, supply-chain woes and labor issues, leading to shortages of infant formula and goods ranging from lumber to computer chips. One reason for high egg prices earlier this year was avian flu.
Clorox’s cybersecurity problems are expected to affect access to some of the company’s most popular products, including its wipes and cleaning supplies like Pine-Sol, just as consumer concerns increase about flu season. Seasonal influenza viruses are found year-round in the United States. , But they are generally transmitted More widely during autumn and winter.
“We have resumed production, are moving out some shipments, and remain in constant contact with customers regarding their immediate needs,” Clorox said in a written response to questions Tuesday. But the company said it could not quantify the amount due to delays and product shortages.
