Back Independent

Cyber hackers 'turn fridges up to 50C' in supermarkets across Europe

Independent • November 2, 2026

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.

Already a member? Log in

Supermarket chains across several European countries, including Belgium , Ireland, Luxembourg , Sweden , and Estonia, have been targeted by suspected cyber attacks on their refrigeration systems.

Hackers compromised cooling units overnight, unexpectedly spiking fridge and freezer temperatures to as high as 50°C by setting evaporators to defrost mode.

Affected retailers include Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, Coop, and SuperValu.

The widespread disruption follows a similar cyber attack in France last month, where hackers seized control of cooling units at hundreds of stores.

Investigations are currently under way as retailers and refrigeration suppliers work to secure their systems and assess the extent of the breaches.

The full story

This article is one source in a clustered incident — the cluster page carries the summary, timeline and every other outlet covering it.

Cyberattack Disrupts Supermarket Refrigeration Across Europe On November 2, 2026, a coordinated cyberattack targeted refrigeration systems in supermarkets across Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, and Finland. The attackers remotely switched the units' evaporators to defrost mode, causing temperatures to rise to as high as 50°C (122°F), resulting in significant food spoilage. Major chains affected include Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, Coop, and SuperValu, with reports indicating that around 40 Delhaize stores and 13 SuperValu locations were impacted. The attack method mirrors a previous incident in France from October 2026, where similar vulnerabilities were exploited. Authorities in Belgium and Sweden are investigating the incidents, and cybersecurity experts stress the need for improved security measures for operational technology devices. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the identity of the attackers remains unknown. 171 sources 73

Cyber hackers 'turn fridges up to 50C' in supermarkets across Europe

The full story

Extracted Entities

Companies (5)

Countries (6)