South African retailer The Foschini Group has disclosed a cybersecurity incident affecting its UK business, including premium fashion brands Phase Eight, Hobbs and Whistles, raising fresh concerns about disruption to its digital operations.

The company notified shareholders on Tuesday, Oct. 13, after identifying the incident on Oct. 11, according to a regulatory notice. The incident affected certain information technology systems within TFG London, the group’s UK operation. TFG said its Inside Story and White Stuff businesses were unaffected, although several IT systems remained unavailable. Its UK stores continued trading as the company worked to contain the incident and assess the extent of the disruption.

Cybersecurity response underway

TFG said it immediately activated its incident response and business continuity plans and brought in external cybersecurity specialists to contain the incident. The company also reported the matter to relevant UK authorities, while an investigation continued into the cause and potential consequences of the breach.

The retailer has yet to establish whether personal or other sensitive information was compromised. TFG London will notify affected individuals or organizations if the investigation confirms that information was exposed. The group said its African and Australian operations were unaffected because they operate on separate systems.

A second cyber disruption

The incident marks another cybersecurity setback for TFG’s UK business, which disclosed an earlier disruption in its March 2026 financial results. That incident involved a key concessions partner and disrupted online sales for TFG London, adding pressure to an already difficult trading environment.

TFG reported that earnings from its UK business fell 65.4% in the period covered by those results, with the partner-related cyber incident contributing to the decline. The latest incident could create further operational challenges if systems remain unavailable, although the company has not quantified any financial impact.

Retail profits under pressure

TFG faced a difficult financial year in 2026 as weaker consumer demand and margin pressure weighed on profitability across its markets. Group revenue reached R67.1 billion ($4.1 billion), up 7.2% from R62.6 billion ($3.8 billion), while retail sales increased 7.1%, according to the company’s annual results.

Operating profit fell 22.1% to R4.9 billion ($297.4 million) from R6.2 billion ($376.3 million), while headline earnings per share declined 33.5% to R6.75 ($0.4) from R10.16 ($0.6). TFG also cited subdued economic growth and pressure on disposable income in South Africa, alongside inflation and higher interest rates in Australia, as constraints on consumer spending.

A retailer with global reach

Founded in Cape Town in 1924, TFG operates across South Africa, the UK and Australia, with more than 4,900 outlets and 49 brands, including Foschini, Sportscene, Markham, Jet, Exact and Totalsports. The group has about 50,800 employees and more than 41 million TFGrewards customers.

TFG London is part of The Foschini Group Limited (TFG), which houses premium fashion and lifestyle brands including Hobbs, Phase Eight, Whistles, White Stuff and Inside Story.

TFG’s board will continue monitoring the incident and update shareholders as material developments emerge. The company has not yet confirmed whether customer data was compromised or disclosed how long the affected IT systems may remain unavailable.