Cyberattack hits supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe
Retailers in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Ireland reported disrupted cooling systems that forced the disposal of food products.
A cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigeration and freezer systems spread across Europe on Monday, affecting stores in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Ireland, according to reports from Reuters, India Today, and Times Now.
The incident caused temperatures to rise in various units, forcing retailers to discard food. In Belgium, the Colruyt Group reported that five Spar franchise shops were attacked, while Carrefour stated 15 of its 700 Belgian stores were affected. The Belgian butchery chain De Laet & Van Haver reported that fridges reached 18 degrees Celsius, resulting in the loss of approximately €15,000 worth of meat.
Swedish grocers also reported disruptions. Coop said seven of its 800 stores were affected by unauthorised tampering with cooling systems, and ICA acknowledged an overnight incident at a limited number of its outlets. In Ireland, wholesaler Musgrave said the incident impacted 13 SuperValu stores, requiring the removal of chilled and frozen products from sale.
The retailer IKEA also reported that one store in Mons, Belgium, was hit by a cyberattack. Some affected units used temperature control technology from the Danish firm Danfoss, which was also involved in a similar attack in France last month. Danfoss said it has been working with customers to implement fixes.
The European Commission said the incidents highlight how digital threats are becoming increasingly disruptive. EU commissioner for agriculture Christophe Hansen described the attacks as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain and undermine consumer confidence.