A suspected cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigeration systems across at least nine European countries has forced several retailers to discard spoiled food, raising concerns over the security of the European Union's food supply chain.
Supermarkets in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden reported refrigeration failures on Monday after temperatures in their cooling units reportedly rose overnight.
The incident comes three weeks after a similar cyberattack disrupted grocery stores in France, forcing hundreds of outlets to dispose of spoiled stock.
No one has claimed responsibility for either attack.
European Union Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen says the bloc is taking the incidents seriously, warning that they could be deliberate attempts to undermine the food supply chain and consumer confidence.
In Belgium, dozens of stores across several supermarket chains reported refrigeration problems, prompting federal prosecutors to launch an investigation.
Carrefour Belgium spokesperson Mich Vergauwen confirmed that approximately 15 of the retailer's 700 stores were affected, saying the disruption could only have been caused by a cyberattack.
Other affected retailers included Delhaize, Colruyt and Intermarché. Ikea also confirmed that its Mons outlet experienced an attack that caused freezer temperatures to rise.
In Italy, at least four Coop supermarkets in Sicily and another business in Tuscany were affected. The head of the Radenza Group, Giuseppe Spadaro, said the attack targeted the remote-control system used to manage frozen food sections.
Meanwhile, Ireland's Musgrave group reported that 13 SuperValu stores had been affected by the cyber incident.
In Portugal, the Mosqueteiros group confirmed disruptions at seven Intermarché stores, which it believes were linked to an attack on an external service provider responsible for managing refrigeration systems.
Swedish retailer Coop also confirmed that six of its approximately 800 stores were affected. The company said the issue had been resolved and that refrigeration systems were operating normally.
In Finland, irregular temperatures were detected at several smaller grocery stores belonging to the Kesko group, while Estonia's public broadcaster reported that hackers raised the temperature of refrigeration units at a supermarket to 50 degrees Celsius.
Cybersecurity specialists have warned that the incidents highlight growing vulnerabilities in connected refrigeration systems, with investigations continuing to establish who is behind the attacks.