News » 16.10.2026 - French, Dutch, Belgian retailers deal with cyber incidents and attacks
Cyber incidents affecting supermarket chains in France and the Netherlands have disrupted refrigeration, distribution and online services, showing how dependent food retail has become on digital systems.
While a cyberattack on refrigeration equipment forced French retailers to discard fresh and frozen products, an IT incident at Ahold Delhaize has disrupted Albert Heijn's distribution network, leaving some Dutch stores with empty shelves, particularly in the fruit and vegetable departments.
Albert Heijn talks about a 'cyber incident' and does not confirm whether it concerns a cyber attack. No relation between the two incidents has been confirmed.
Cyberattack in France
More than 400 supermarkets in France were reportedly affected by a cyberattack on Monday after hackers gained control of refrigeration systems. The attack affected stores belonging to Cooperative U, E.Leclerc, Les Mousquetaires and Intermarché. Thousands of refrigeration and freezer units were reportedly defrosted, with some reaching temperatures of 50°C for more than six hours.
Intermarché said affected stores had to "throw away all fresh and frozen products." E.Leclerc reported that a cyberattack had affected one of its refrigeration equipment suppliers, disrupting systems across several stores.
No individual or group has claimed responsibility.
The incident has raised concerns about the security of food infrastructure. Cooperative U CEO Dominique Schelcher described the targeting of food refrigeration systems as unprecedented, while EU Food and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen raised concerns about food supply security.
Dutch supply chain under pressure
In the Netherlands, a separate cyber incident affecting Ahold Delhaize since Sunday has disrupted Albert Heijn's distribution operations. The supermarket chain has temporarily switched off several systems as a precaution to protect its IT environment. Several distribution centres have suspended operations, while the website, app, customer service and online grocery ordering have also been affected.
The consequences are visible in stores. On Tuesday, shortages were reported in the fruit and vegetable departments of Albert Heijn branches in The Hague, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Amsterdam. Other fresh products, including dairy and meat, were also reportedly in short supply at some locations.
A grower supplying Albert Heijn-related businesses said orders were being removed from the schedule, leaving approximately 10% of normal orders in place. The reduction in purchases has also been confirmed by other sources, although the extent varies by product and grade. Truck drivers working for Albert Heijn have also reported being unable to work because much of the operation has come to a standstill.
Albert Heijn CEO Margaret Versteden-van Duijn confirmed that some distribution centres had completely halted work after systems were switched off preventively. The retailer has not disclosed which centres remain operational or how long the disruption is expected to last.
The chain expects product availability to vary by store and category over the coming days. Frozen products, bread and other longer-life goods are expected to remain more readily available than some fresh products, including fruit and vegetables.
The Dutch supermarket incident has also affected online services. New grocery orders cannot currently be placed, and existing orders have been cancelled until further notice. Albert Heijn has said customers who have already paid will be compensated once the systems are functioning again. Its physical stores remain open, and checkout systems continue to work. General Bonus offers and the standard Bonuskaart remain available, while personalised discounts and some loyalty programmes are temporarily unavailable.
Digital dependence extends beyond the checkout
The incidents illustrate how a disruption to digital infrastructure can quickly affect the physical availability of food. Modern supermarket operations rely on interconnected systems for ordering, inventory management, transport planning, distribution centre operations and the monitoring of refrigeration equipment.
When those systems fail, retailers can lose the ability to coordinate deliveries even when products are available from growers and suppliers. In the case of fresh produce, the impact can become visible quickly because of short shelf lives and frequent deliveries.
Retail expert Dirk Mulder of ING told Dutch news paper AD that retailers have become heavily dependent on digital systems. The Albert Heijn incident demonstrates that the consequences of an IT outage extend beyond e-commerce and customer services to the supply of products in physical stores.
Relevant for the wider market
Supermarket expert Paul Moers told RTL that the concentration of Dutch grocery spending at Albert Heijn makes the disruption particularly relevant for the wider market. Other chains cannot necessarily compensate immediately for shortages, as their own supply chains and distribution capacity are already committed.
The French attacks show another dimension of the same vulnerability. In that case, the affected digital systems controlled refrigeration equipment directly, potentially compromising the safety and usability of large quantities of food.
Security incidents have also been reported in Belgium and Luxembourg. In the Netherlands, Ahold Delhaize took refrigeration systems offline as a precaution, but the company reported no connection to the French attacks. The incidents have not been attributed to a common perpetrator.
Cybersecurity and food supply resilience
Research by ABN AMRO among 88 retail organisations found that 86% had experienced at least one form of cybercrime. However, only 21% had a response plan setting out clear tasks and responsibilities in the event of a cyberattack. A third of retail employees had never received cybersecurity training, while half of the surveyed organisations had never practised responding to a cyberattack or did not know how to respond.
The findings point to a gap between recognising cyber risks and preparing for their operational consequences. A disruption can affect not only payment systems and online shops, but also inventory, logistics, supplier communication and temperature control.
ABN AMRO recommends that retailers strengthen access controls, test backups regularly, establish and rehearse incident response plans, and agree on cybersecurity requirements with external suppliers. Staff training and a clearer understanding of the risks associated with third-party IT services are also part of that approach.
In the Netherlands, the Central Bureau for Food Trade (CBL) has said the supermarket sector has sufficient resilience to manage the current disruption and has advised consumers against stockpiling. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature is monitoring the situation and has stressed the importance of a more resilient food system.
Source: www.floraldaily.com
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