Sunday April 28, 2024 | COLWOOD, BC [Updated 5:52 pm on April 28 – London Drugs had experienced a “cyber security incident”] [Updated on April 29, 2024: Stores remain closed on Monday April 29, 2024 and lines are down, but pharmacists available on site, says London Drugs at 1:45 pm] | ALSO SEE: London Drugs stores still closed for a third day (April 30, 2024)
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Around noon today, April 28, the London Drugs chain posted online that they have “experienced an operational issue that has led to stores across Western Canada being closed until further notice”. There are reportedly 80 stores across Western Canada.
“Pharmacists are standing by to support with urgent pharmacy needs. We advise customers to phone their local store’s pharmacy to make arrangements.”
There are a few London Drugs stores in the Greater Victoria area including in the west shore (in Colwood), at Tillicum Mall in Saanich, and in downtown Victoria.
This is a simple example of how access to retail is important to people’s everyday lives. In particular, people who work all week may use Sunday as a shopping day and expect their favourite retail stores to be open.
Operational issues:
Something as broad as ‘operational issues’ could be data-technology related or a shortage of staff.
Today is the National Day of Mourning when workers remember workers who have lost their lives or suffered injury or illness on the job.
Update at about 5:55 pm: CBC News posted that London Drugs had experienced a “cyber security incident” and “immediately undertook countermeasures … to assist with containment”. Reportedly, London Drugs ‘doesn’t believe customer data was affected’.
Part of the retail landscape:
What would became today’s chain of stores across BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, started with the first London Drugs store in 1945 as a 1,000-square-foot community drugstore on Main Street in Vancouver.
Today the stores in the London Drugs chain carry a wide range of retail products and services in addition to pharmacy that seem to maintain a down-home ‘shop for the basics’ atmosphere.
Update 1:45 pm on Monday April 29:
The closure of London Drugs stores continues on Monday April 29.
“As a necessary part of its internal investigation, London Drugs phone lines have been temporarily taken down and will be restored as soon as the investigation is complete,” said London Drugs in a social media post at 1:45 pm on Monday April 29.
“In the interim, Pharmacy staff are on-site at all London Drugs locations to support customers with urgent pharmacy needs. We advise customers to visit their local store in-person for immediate support and until the phone lines are back in service.”
===== RELATED:
London Drugs stores still closed for a third day (April 30, 2024)