Cyberattack Disrupts Refrigeration at 400 French Supermarkets, Resulting in Food Waste

Hackers typically target data, but in France, they struck at the heart of the food supply chain. A cyberattack on refrigeration systems knocked out over 400 supermarkets across the country, forcing some locations to discard spoiled food, as reported by The New York Times. The affected stores included roughly 300 Intermarché and Netto locations, along with 80 Coopérative U and 30 Monoprix outlets. According to France’s National Cybersecurity Agency, the assault targeted remote control systems used by three companies that manage refrigeration units.

Authorities have not yet identified the perpetrators, and no group has claimed responsibility for the breach. Paris prosecutors are actively investigating the incident. Dominique Schelcher, head of Coopérative U, described the attack as “unprecedented” and “extremely serious,” emphasizing its impact on the French public’s food security. “They’re attacking the French people’s food supply,” he stated in an interview with RTL radio.

While Schelcher has not calculated the financial damage, he warned that a refrigeration failure can cost a small supermarket tens of thousands of dollars. “In my entire professional career, I’ve never seen anything like this,” he remarked.

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