Cyberattack hits supermarkets in nine European countries, raises fears over food supply chain

Supermarkets in at least nine European countries faced refrigeration failures after a suspected cyberattack disrupted systems controlling frozen food sections, forcing some retailers to discard spoiled stock. The incident has prompted the European Union to warn of a possible attempt to disrupt the bloc’s food supply chain and undermine consumer confidence.

Stores in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden reported problems on Monday after refrigeration temperatures rose overnight. Some retailers were forced to throw away food that could no longer be stored safely.

The incident comes just three weeks after a cyberattack disrupted grocery stores in France, forcing hundreds of outlets to discard spoiled food. No group has claimed responsibility for either attack, and investigators have not established whether the incidents are connected.

EU warns of threat to food supply chain

European Union food and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen said the incidents were being taken seriously, warning that attacks on supermarket systems could have consequences beyond individual retailers.

He described them as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain and weaken consumers’ confidence in it.

The incidents have drawn attention to the vulnerability of systems that remotely control refrigeration equipment in supermarkets. A disruption to these systems can cause temperatures in refrigerators and freezers to rise, potentially making stored food unsafe and leading to significant wastage.

Belgium among the worst-hit countries

Belgium reported widespread disruption, with dozens of stores across several supermarket chains affected. Federal prosecutors have opened an investigation.

Carrefour Belgium reported refrigeration problems in around 15 of its 700 stores. Company spokesperson Mich Vergauwen said the incident was a cyberattack and that there was no other explanation for the disruption.

Delhaize, Colruyt and Intermarché also reported problems at stores in the country. Ikea said its outlet in Mons was affected by a cyberattack that caused freezer temperatures to rise.

Belgian refrigeration company Sabcobel said it had started securing its installations following the October attack in France. However, some systems had not yet been upgraded and were among those affected on Monday.

Four Delhaize outlets in neighbouring Luxembourg also reported refrigeration problems.

Stores affected across Europe

In Italy, at least four Coop supermarkets in Sicily and a business in Tuscany were affected, according to media reports and the national cybersecurity agency. The Italian government was scheduled to hold a cybersecurity meeting with intelligence services on Tuesday.

Giuseppe Spadaro, head of the Radenza Group, which manages Coop-branded supermarkets, told news agency ANSA that the attack began at around 4 am. It targeted the remote-control system for frozen food sections, he said, adding that the problem had since been resolved.

In Ireland, retailer Musgrave said 13 SuperValu stores were affected by what it described as a cyber incident. In Portugal, the Mosqueteiros group confirmed incidents at seven Intermarché stores, saying the attack appeared to have targeted an external service provider responsible for managing refrigeration systems.

Sweden’s Coop confirmed that six of its approximately 800 stores had been affected. The retailer said the problem had been resolved and its refrigerators and freezers were operating normally. It had not identified who was behind the incident.

A limited number of stores operated by Swedish chain Ica also reported refrigeration problems.

In the Netherlands, a small number of corner shops experienced disruptions. Finland’s Kesko group detected irregular temperatures in a few smaller grocery stores and said it was investigating the cause. It had not ruled out interference through the network.

In Estonia, at least one supermarket was reportedly targeted by hackers who raised the temperature in refrigeration units to 50 degrees Celsius, according to public broadcaster ERR.

Earlier attack raises concerns over security gaps

The latest incidents have renewed concerns about vulnerabilities in supermarket refrigeration systems and the external networks used to operate them.

In Sweden, some affected Coop stores were connected to a 4G mobile network rather than the updated 5G system. A company spokesperson said this could have made them more exposed to hackers.

Swedish retailer Ica said the affected stores were connected to an external refrigeration control system supplied by Danish manufacturer Danfoss. The same supplier was reportedly targeted in the October 12 cyberattack on French retailers.

In Estonia, the affected refrigeration units were older models supplied by Danfoss, similar to those involved in the French incident, according to a local refrigeration systems executive.

Finnish cybersecurity specialist Roni Kokkola said the spread of such incidents beyond France had been anticipated, pointing to the increasing exploitation of vulnerabilities in connected systems.

The investigations are continuing, and authorities have yet to identify those responsible.

With AFP inputs