A suspected cyber-attack has disrupted commercial refrigerators and freezers across multiple European nations, causing widespread temperature manipulation and severe inventory losses. The breach hit dozens of stores in Belgium and Sweden, as well as facilities in Luxembourg and Ireland. The incident occurred overnight, with store managers working to contain the damage. Millions of euros worth of produce have been destroyed.
The incident follows a similar network breach last month that impacted hundreds of French retail locations. National cyber-security agencies in both Belgium and Sweden confirmed they are actively monitoring the situation. It is not clear who is behind the attack. The breach caused significant disruption in Belgium, with major retail brands reporting system anomalies across their store networks.
In Belgium, Delhaize, one of the biggest supermarket chains, reported a “computer incident” had occurred overnight at 40 shops. Financial losses mounted quickly at individual retail locations. A Delhaize branch in Hoeilaart, in the Flemish Braband province in Flanders, reported losses of €100,000 worth of produce. The manager said that estimate did not even take into account further losses that would result from closing the shop.
Other major retailers in Belgium reported contained impact. Carrefour, a French-owned supermarket, said the incident had only affected 15 of its Belgian stores, adding that measures had been taken immediately to ensure all shops remained open. Around 40 Delhaize supermarkets across Belgium and Luxembourg were affected. The incident also impacted localized network configurations in Sweden and Ireland.
In Sweden, several ICA and Coop locations were hit. A spokesperson for ICA confirmed the incident had affected a “small number of ICA stores operating outside ICA’s central network”. ICA is currently supporting the affected stores in managing the situation. The operational impact produced extreme temperature swings in affected hardware, with one ICA store reporting that temperatures for its freezers had been set to 50 C (122F).
The incident also affected stores in Ireland, with thirteen SuperValu shops impacted. Swedish retailer Coop reported minor overall impact across its widespread chain, with seven out of 800 Coop stores in Sweden affected. However, the company said the “situation is currently contained and under control”. Store employees faced immediate cleanup operations, with an employee at a branch in Odengatan in Stockholm pictured throwing away bags of spoiled food.
Cyber-security investigations are ongoing, with national agencies working to determine the cause and extent of the breach. The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber-attacks and the importance of robust security measures. The full extent of the financial damage and food waste caused by the incident is still being assessed.
Key points
- The breach caused significant disruption in Belgium, with Delhaize reporting a “computer incident” at 40 shops.
- The incident impacted localized network configurations in Sweden and Ireland, with several ICA and Coop locations affected.
- Cyber-security investigations are ongoing, with national agencies working to determine the cause and extent of the breach.
