Cyberattack overheats supermarket fridges across France, causing fires and food losses

Paris, France. Hackers raised refrigerator temperatures at many French supermarkets to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F) overnight, with fires and food losses reported at several hundred stores nationwide. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has ordered France’s National Cybersecurity Agency ANSSI to investigate, according to a person in his office.

Retailers report affected stores

Les Mousquetaires, the owner of Intermarche, said approximately 150 stores were affected. Refrigerators reached 50 degrees Celsius and remained at that temperature for six hours, the company said. A spokesperson said all the food had been discarded to prevent health risks.

Carrefour (CARR.PA) reported that the attack affected 80 supermarkets, while most of its 6,000 stores remained unaffected.

Dominique Schelcher, CEO of Cooperative U, confirmed that his supermarket had also been targeted. In a post on X, he described the attack as exceptionally serious and without precedent.

“Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is of extreme gravity and is unprecedented,” he wrote.

Monoprix, E.Leclerc and Auchan were among the other supermarket chains that did not answer requests for comment.

Authorities assess the extent of the attack

The Paris prosecutor’s office described the cyberattack as extensive, saying it targeted internet-connected refrigerators used by several leading food retailers throughout France. The office said reported damage included fires and lost food.

The person in Lecornu’s office said France was working with European counterparts because other countries might also be affected. Authorities were also examining whether additional French businesses faced risks.

Ahold Delhaize takes systems offline

Dutch supermarket operator Ahold Delhaize separately reported a “security issue” affecting its network. The company said it had disconnected several systems as a protective measure.

Ahold Delhaize operates Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands, and also has substantial business operations in the United States.