AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today October 19, 2026
Save-On-Foods Notifies Customers of Data Breach
Save-On-Foods, a major Canadian supermarket chain, has alerted customers in its loyalty program that their personal information was accessed during a recent cybersecurity breach. The incident, discovered on October 13, was quickly contained, according to the company, which then began an investigation in collaboration with a cybersecurity expert.
Details of the Cybersecurity Breach
The breach was identified on one of Save-On-Foods' servers. Shortly after, the company sent an email to customers enrolled in the More Rewards program, informing them of the situation and the types of data involved. Customers who received the notification were told that their names had been accessed. Additional details such as addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and dates of birth were also accessed, if they had been provided by the account holder.
Extent of Impact and Company Response
While Save-On-Foods has not disclosed the number of affected customers, the More Rewards program—operated by the Pattison Food Group—has over 3.5 million members, according to the company’s website. Membership in the program is required for online shopping and provides access to in-store discounts and exclusive offers.
In the notification, Save-On-Foods assured customers that, based on the information available, no sensitive data such as credit card information or passwords was accessed during the cybersecurity breach.
Phishing and Data Privacy Concerns Raised
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has warned that breaches exposing personal information can facilitate phishing attacks. Cybercriminals may use accessed data to impersonate trusted organizations and deceive individuals into disclosing more sensitive information or transferring money.
Richard Frank, director of Simon Fraser University’s international cybercrime centre, explained that many such corporate breaches are opportunistic, often arising from employees clicking on malicious links or downloading malware. With access to personal details from loyalty programs, criminals can craft convincing scams or phishing attempts targeting affected individuals.
Customer Reactions and Password Reset Issues
The response from the community has included frustration and concern over data privacy. Some users on Reddit's B.C. and Alberta sub-communities voiced dissatisfaction with having to share personal data for loyalty program membership, noting that it can make customers targets for future cybercrime.
Several customers who tried to reset their More Rewards passwords after receiving the notification encountered recurring errors, according to user reports. Save-On-Foods has advised members to be cautious about suspicious calls or messages and emphasized that the company will not ask for passwords, payment details, social insurance numbers, or security question answers in any communications.
Next Steps and Ongoing Investigation
Save-On-Foods has reported the incident to authorities and privacy regulators. CBC News reached out to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. for a statement but did not receive a response before publication. The investigation into the cybersecurity breach and its impact on More Rewards members is ongoing.
Source: cbc.ca.
