Lady Bamford's skincare empire hit by security breach as customers told to ‘cancel cards'
Bamford, a lifestyle and wellness brand that sells luxury serums, balms and facial oils, issued the warning amid fears that shoppers' payment details were exposed during an IT incident in March.
It urged customers to 'thoroughly check the bank account you used to purchase from us', adding: 'As an additional precautionary measure, you may wish to cancel the card used and request a new one from your bank.'
Bamford said it had taken 'immediate action' after discovering the incident and had reported the matter to the Information Commissioner's Office, the data watchdog.
It did not provide any further information about the breach, although it apologised in an email to customers.
A Bamford spokesman said: 'We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause.'
It comes after a period of significant growth for Bamford, which recently revealed sales were up 18pc in its latest financial year to £14.5m. This is almost double what they were four years earlier.
However, despite the sales rise, Bamford has been struggling to turn a profit.
In figures published in January, Bamford recorded losses of £3m, up from £2.8m a year earlier.
At the time, the company said Lady Bamford, its owner, had pledged to continue supporting the business to help it stay afloat.
It said this meant it had 'reasonable assurance that the company can continue to operate as a going concern'.
Lady Bamford, who is married to the JCB chairman Lord Bamford, launched the skincare, clothing and wellness brand in 2004, as a sister company to her farm shop Daylesford.
As well as selling its range of beauty products, including £80 stem cell facial serums and £100 firming creams, it also sells luxury cashmere clothes, candles and diffusers.
Many of its most popular candle and hand cream lines centre around geraniums, with Lady Bamford evangelical about their health benefits.
The Bamford brand has two-day spas where its skincare products are used, the larger of which is located at the Daylesford Organic Farm in the Cotswolds.
At the Daylesford farm shop in Moreton-in-Marsh, the business has recently expanded to include a new gym, a garden centre, restaurants, cafes and cottages.
Bamford and the Information Commissioner's Office were both contacted for comment.
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