Overnight attack hits European supermarkets

Grocery stores across Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Estonia faced a coordinated cyberattack on Monday affecting refrigerated and freezer sections.

Freezers raised to one hundred twenty-two degrees

The attacks raised temperatures in both freezer and refrigerator units to one hundred twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in widespread food spoilage and some units catching fire.

Major retailers affected across continent

The attacks affected major retailers including stores owned by Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA and Coop. IKEA also confirmed one location in Mons, Belgium was affected.

IKEA investigating the incident

An IKEA spokesperson told Fast Company: "Our teams are investigating to better understand the nature and scope of the incident and any potential impact on our operations."

“Our teams are investigating to better understand the nature and scope of the incident and any potential impact on our operations.”

Coop Sweden: seven of eight hundred locations hit

Coop confirmed around seven of eight hundred Sweden locations were affected, with issues ranging from complete shutdowns to partially functioning equipment and one system generating heat.

Affected stores now fully operational

According to Carlos Cancino, head of press relations at Coop Sweden, the affected locations are now fully operational again after the attack.

Similar attack hit France last month

A cyberattack in France last month affected around seven hundred grocery stores with losses estimated at tens of millions of euros, also raising freezer temperatures to around one hundred twenty-two degrees.

French attack caused fires and food loss

The French attacks caused loss of food and some fires, following the same pattern as the current European incident targeting refrigeration infrastructure.