Cyberattacks target supermarket refrigeration systems in Europe

A series of coordinated cyberattacks struck supermarket refrigeration and freezer systems across Europe overnight into Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, causing widespread food spoilage. The incidents affected retailers in at least seven countries, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The hackers remotely accessed the systems, forcing units to switch into defrost mode or raising temperature settings. In some instances, temperatures inside the units reached as high as 50°C (122°F). Retailers impacted by the breach include Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, Coop, Carrefour, Intermarché, and IKEA.

Danfoss, a Danish manufacturer of refrigeration controls, confirmed that its products were involved in the incidents. While the total number of affected stores remains unquantified, reports suggest that individual chains saw impacts ranging from a limited number of locations to several dozen stores.

Christophe Hansen, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, condemned the attacks as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain and undermine consumer confidence. Engla Ingwall, a sales manager for an ICA franchise in Stockholm, reported that the breach resulted in the total loss of inventory in their freezers.

These incidents follow a larger-scale attack in mid-October 2026 that impacted hundreds of supermarkets in France, resulting in millions of euros in damages. As of Nov. 3, 2026, no group has claimed responsibility for the latest wave of attacks.

Supermarket chains are currently working to upgrade their systems, with some retailers transitioning to more secure network configurations, such as 5G and modern modems, to prevent further breaches. The European Union agency ENISA has called for increased cooperation and a coordinated response to address the vulnerabilities in internet-connected refrigeration systems.