Three major UK airports have been hit by a “cyber security incident” in which criminal hackers accessed the data of almost nine million people and demanded a ransom.

Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which owns Manchester, East Midlands and London Stansted airports, said customers’ contact details, vehicle registrations and postcodes were obtained by hackers at the weekend.

MAG told the BBC the hackers demanded a ransom fee for the return of the data, which the group said it refused to pay. The sum of the ransom fee was not disclosed.

MAG said “at no point has passenger safety or aviation security been compromised” and the system hacked did not hold customers’ bank or payment details.

The data of about 8.7 million customers was accessed.

The majority of the data accessed was restricted to customer email addresses and related to WiFi sign-ups within the airports’ terminals, MAG said.

MAG said in a statement: “We would like to reassure customers that Manchester Airport Group takes the security of customer information extremely seriously and we apologise for any inconvenience or concern caused.”

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Food-manufacturing giant General Mills announced that all of its U.S. cereal offerings are now created without “certified colors.”

The company said it intends to remove “certified colors,” which it notes are “also known as synthetic color additives,” from all of its U.S. products by the end of next year.

“With all U.S. cereals – including Lucky Charms and Trix – now free from certified colors, 90% of General Mills’ U.S. retail portfolio has completed the transition,” the food giant said in a statement Wednesday.

CHEERIOS MAKER SAYS COST OF LIVING, HOUSING EXPENSES CHANGING WAY CONSUMERS SPEND

Miami Beach, Florida, Bay Supermarket breakfast cereal aisle. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“The company remains on track to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027, including fruit snacks and baking products,” the announcement noted.

General Mills previously tried removing artificial colors from Trix in the past but then ultimately chose to backpedal later and offer an option that included the popular vibrant colors again.

“As part of a commitment to remove artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources from all of its cereals by the end of 2017, General Mills is releasing its first wave of new cereal recipes, which includes Trix, Reese’s Puffs, Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams, Chocolate Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios and Fruity Cheerios. The family favorites are now available in the cereal aisle at local retailers nationwide and highlight no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources on the front of each box,” a 2016 press release noted.

GENERAL MILLS PULLS MORE THAN 735,000 PILLSBURY ROLLS FROM SHELVES OVER POSSIBLE GLASS CONTAMINATION

Golden Valley, Minn. General Mills World Headquarters. General Mills, Inc., is an American multinational company. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

But then a 2017 General Mills post on X, formerly Twitter, declared, “Have you heard?! ‘Classic Trix’ colors are coming back to brighten up your breakfast bowl!”

“Our Trix fans have been calling us, e-mailing us and reaching out to us on social media asking if we would consider bringing back the original formulation of Trix cereal with its vibrant colors,” then-General Mills spokesperson Mike Siemienas noted, according to a 2017 Food Business News report. “As a result, we are launching ‘Classic Trix’ to fill these consumer requests.  We will continue to offer our current formulation of Trix with no artificial flavors and no colors from artificial sources, which has its own fan base, along with Classic Trix. So both products will be available for consumers. Consumers have differing food preferences, and we heard from many Trix fans that they missed the bright vibrant colors and the nostalgic taste of the classic Trix cereal.”

Boxes of Trix currently for sale on the Walmart and Amazon websites list “Natural and Artificial Flavor” on the ingredients list.

GENERAL MILLS LATEST US FOOD GIANT PULLING ARTIFICIAL DYES FROM PRODUCTS

Boxes of General Mills owned Lucky Charms cereal are stacked at a Costco Wholesale store on April 4, 2025, in San Diego, Calif. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Betty Crocker and Pillsbury are some of the popular food brands within the company’s substantial portfolio.

Vertu has welcome a consultation on the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, but Mr Forrester has warned it is unlikely to go far enough

The boss of car retailer Vertu has talked of a strong start to the year following the firm’s second profits upgrade within three months.

Gateshead-based Vertu told investors to expect full year profits ahead of £26m as sales have increase across the national showroom operator’s new and used cars offer. CEO Robert Forrester said he believes the group – which runs 194 sales and aftersales sites in the UK – is growing its market share amid a significant marketing push that has included becoming the main shirt sponsor at Burnley FC and TV campaigns.

In a trading update for the five months to the end of July, Vertu reported a 4.6% rise in group revenues. Volume of new vehicles was up 8.7% while used sales were up 4.4.%. A rise in aftersales revenue has also helped grow group profits year-on-year. Bosses also said new vehicle order books for July-September were ahead of previous years.

Vertu has moved to open new outlets for Chinese brands in recent years and now runs 18 such sites, with the group’s first Omoda and Jaecoo sites launched in Burton last month. This month it opened its first Leapmotor outlets in Harrogate and Crewe, with work under way to bring a Geely forecourt to Teesside.

In Nottingham, Vertu has opened its first site for Renault Group-owned performance brand Alpine, alongside existing Renault and Dacia outlets. Closer to home, the group’s Morpeth-based Ford, Honda and BYD showroom has outgrown its current pitch and will expand into premises across the road. While in Hartlepool, £800,000 will be invested to create a major redevelopment of a dealership for BYD.

Mr Forrester said: “It’s our second profits upgrade in three months, which is good. We’ve had a strong start to the new financial year.

“I think the business is in a very strong position, operational we are in a good place. We’ve got lots of good initiatives that are adding value. And we’re making a lot of changes to the portfolio to reflect the changing nature of the sector – particularly the growth of the Chinese manufacturers – and everyone on the team has done a very, very good job.

“I don’t think it’s the easiest of sectors but we’re giving a good account of ourselves.”

Meanwhile, Vertu has welcomed the Government’s consultation on the controversial Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which has been criticised by the industry for pushing manufacturers to sell battery electric vehicles (BEV) ahead ahead of demand. Mr Forrester, who has been outspoken on the issue, said “something needed to happen” but pointed to concerns about the “almost prescriptive” nature of the consultation.

He said: “For example, the industry has been asked to consult on whether it wants a target for 2030 of 50% for BEVs, 60%, 70% or 80%. Well, to be honest its ‘none of the above’. When we get to vans, the lowest they’re proposing for 2030 is 40% – well the industry is currently on 9%.”

Mr Forrester added: “The manufacturers of new cars are making the cars far more affordable, actually. They’re trying to drive the new car market. It’s very difficult for them because of the ZEV Mandate and the electric targets – that’s make life very difficult for the manufacturers – but they are putting their best foot forward and there are some great offers out there.

“I think if you’ve got an older car that is starting to go wrong and you’re starting to click into big repair bills then actually it can make more sense to get a newer car or even a new car, or perhaps another used car with a warranty as well.”