BRUSSELS — Supermarket refrigeration and freezer systems across at least seven European countries have been impacted by a suspected cyber-attack, causing internal temperatures to rise significantly overnight.
Supermarket chains in Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg reported that the temperatures in their refrigerators and freezers spiked—with some shops reportedly reaching as high as 50C—sparking widespread concerns over potential food spoilage. The incidents follow a similar cyber-incident previously reported in France that resulted in substantial food losses.
In Sweden, the Coop chain told local media on Monday that six of its locations were affected, while retail group ICA acknowledged that a limited number of its stores experienced overnight technical issues impacting their cooling units.
Operators and authorities are continuing to assess the full scope of the disruptions across the affected European nations to determine how the systems were compromised.
