Suspected hack makes fridge temperatures soar across European supermarkets
Stores report temperature spikes
Swedish grocers ICA and Coop and an Ikea superstore reported unexpected increases in refrigeration temperatures. In Ireland, systems at 13 SuperValu stores were affected by what the company described as a suspected cyberattack.
A Swedish ICA store said its refrigerators and freezers had been set to 50C overnight, then reported that it had reopened. ICA said a limited number of stores had experienced an overnight incident affecting refrigeration and freezer systems.
Companies describe suspected attacks
Stephan Moelans, chief executive of Belgian refrigeration company Sabcobel, said the incident was a cyberattack involving units switched into defrost mode. Sabcobel operates systems for Delhaize, and Moelans’ office declined to comment when contacted by reporters.
Colruyt Group, which operates Spar stores in Belgium through a franchise system, said five shops had their fridge systems attacked. Technology supplier Kitman Coldtech told Estonia’s public broadcaster ERR that an Estonian supermarket chain was also affected, with temperatures set to 50C.
Food losses and concern
Luc De Laet, founder and owner of Belgian butchery chain De Laet & Van Haver, said an employee alerted him to a problem at 3.30am. He said the system that records temperatures could be controlled remotely.
De Laet said he had contacted police but did not know whether an investigation was under way. He said he believed the hackers were seeking to destabilise European economies.
Key points
- Retail refrigeration systems were reported affected in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden, as well as Estonia.
- Thirteen SuperValu stores in Ireland were affected by a suspected cyberattack.
- An ICA store and an Estonian chain reported temperatures reaching 50C.
- Sabcobel’s chief executive said refrigeration units had been switched into defrost mode.