Cyberattacks Disrupt Major European Retailers: French Supermarket Freezers Sabotaged, Ahold Delhaize Operations Hit

European retailers are dealing with two separate disruptive cyber incidents: in France, attackers remotely hijacked supermarket refrigeration systems, destroying chilled and frozen goods; in the Netherlands and Belgium, Ahold Delhaize stores and distribution centers are facing outages caused by an ongoing security issue.

French outlet BFMTV reported that hundreds of stores across the country were affected after attackers took remote control of Danfoss refrigeration controllers late Sunday night and early Monday morning. Workers arrived to find fridges and freezers warming instead of cooling, with defrosted and spoiled products causing losses estimated in the tens or hundreds of thousands of euros. Impacted retailers include Intermarché, Netto, Super U, Marché U, Leclerc, Carrefour Market, and Monoprix.

An internal Intermarché communication confirmed the cyberattack, prompting a crisis meeting between refrigeration service providers including Axima and Danfoss. Some stores were able to salvage limited stock thanks to alerts or timing that brought the sabotage closer to opening hours.

Security researchers previously disclosed vulnerabilities in Danfoss AK‑SM 800A and Copeland XWEB Pro controllers, which could allow attackers to hijack devices and manipulate refrigeration infrastructure. Updated firmware has since been released, but it is not yet confirmed whether these flaws were exploited. Similar unexplained “defrost” incidents affected U.S. military commissaries in August 2026.

Separately, Dutch multinational Ahold Delhaize confirmed a security issue affecting its network. The company has taken systems offline to protect infrastructure, causing disruptions at Albert Heijn distribution centers and outages across Dutch and Belgian brands including Albert Heijn, Etos, Gall & Gall, and Delhaize. Websites and apps remain offline, preventing online orders. In stores, electronic shelf labels are showing outdated prices, and U.S. Stop & Shop employees reported being unable to access schedules and paystubs.

Ahold Delhaize said stores remain open and serving customers while mitigation continues. The company apologized for the inconvenience and emphasized that protecting infrastructure for customers, associates, and partners is a top priority.

At present, there is no indication that the French refrigeration sabotage and the Ahold Delhaize security incident are connected.