Cyberattacks on European supermarket refrigeration systems cause food spoilage

On November 2, 2026, major supermarket chains across Europe, including ICA, Coop, Carrefour, Delhaize, SuperValu, and IKEA, reported widespread malfunctions in their refrigeration and freezer units. Hackers exploited security vulnerabilities in internet-connected temperature control systems to remotely increase temperatures, in some cases up to 50 or 70 degrees Celsius. These actions resulted in significant quantities of perishable food being destroyed and caused financial losses estimated in the hundreds of thousands of euros. Reports of similar interference have also been recorded in Greece, specifically targeting a butcher shop in Kifisia.

This incident follows a large-scale attack on French supermarkets in October 2026. Experts suggest that the absence of ransom demands indicates a coordinated act of sabotage rather than traditional cyber-extortion. The European Commission, in coordination with ENISA and Europol, is actively monitoring the situation through the EU-CyCLONe network. Meanwhile, national cybersecurity agencies in countries like Israel and Greece have issued urgent warnings, urging critical infrastructure operators to disconnect vulnerable refrigeration controllers from the public internet to prevent further breaches.