Suspected Cyberattack Compromises Supermarket Refrigeration Across Belgium, Sweden, and Ireland

A suspected cyberattack has disrupted refrigeration and freezer systems at numerous supermarkets across Belgium and Sweden.

In Belgium, approximately 40 Delhaize locations and 15 Carrefour stores reported disruptions. Several ICA and Coop supermarkets in Sweden were also affected, alongside thirteen SuperValu stores in Ireland.

Local media reports indicate that thousands of euros worth of food has been discarded. One ICA location in Sweden reported that its freezer temperatures were altered to 50°C (122°F).

The perpetrators remain unidentified. The incident follows a comparable attack last month that disrupted hundreds of supermarkets in France.

Delhaize, one of Belgium’s largest retail chains, confirmed to local media that a “computer incident” occurred overnight across 40 locations.

Carrefour, the French-owned retailer, stated it is “currently analyzing” the incident at 15 of its Belgian outlets.

An ICA spokesperson in Sweden confirmed that a “small number of stores operating outside the company’s central network” were affected.

“ICA is currently supporting the affected stores in managing the situation,” the spokesperson added.

An ICA branch in Sjöbo, southern Sweden, posted on social media: “Our refrigerators and freezers were hacked overnight, and the temperature was set to 50 degrees.”

The location closed temporarily but has since reopened to customers.

Seven of Coop’s 800 Swedish stores are also affected, though the company told the BBC that the “situation is currently contained and under control.”

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