Supermarket freezers hit in suspected cyberattacks across Europe

Supermarkets across Europe have been hit by apparent cyberattacks for the second time in weeks. Stores in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg and Estonia reported that freezers and cooling systems stopped working.

Delhaize, a Belgian retailer, said a "computer incident" took place overnight and affected around 40 of its stores in Belgium and Luxembourg. One outlet in Hoeilaart, a town in the Flemish Brabant region, said it had lost produce worth about €100,000. Its store manager said that figure did not include further losses from the shop's closure.

Carrefour, the French retail group, verified that 15 of its Belgian outlets were disrupted. The company said it acted immediately to keep the shops open.

In Sweden, the grocer ICA, one of the country's largest, was also hit. Some stores reported freezer temperatures reaching 50°C. Coop, another Swedish chain, was named among retailers reporting the problem.

A second wave

The incidents follow an earlier attack on supermarket freezers in France, about three weeks before. That attack also caused equipment to malfunction, which led to food being thrown away.

Some stores were forced to discard spoiled products and briefly suspend operations. Reports from Ireland also describe disruption to supermarket cooling, though the details there are less clear.

What is not yet known

The exact method of the attack has not been confirmed. Authorities in the affected countries say investigations are ongoing. No group or person has been publicly blamed, and it is not clear whether the attacks were linked.

For shoppers in India, the case shows how connected store equipment can be disrupted remotely. Supermarkets rely on networked systems for refrigeration, and the affected chains say they will work to restore full operations.