Ahold Delhaize reports cyberattack to police
The supermarket group has, according to police, filed a report after an investigation pointed to malicious actors behind the incident.
Follow-up to: Damage from Albert Heijn cyber incident remains unclear Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 07:10
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Ahold Delhaize has filed a police report about the cyber incident affecting Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall since 11 October. Minister David van Weel calls the step important for the investigation and for preventing new victims.
The report is a new development in the cyber incident that affected Ahold Delhaize’s Dutch shops and digital services. Police had previously invited the company to file a report and confirmed on Tuesday that it had done so.
According to publicly available company information, Ahold Delhaize says an investigation has confirmed that malicious actors were responsible. The group shut down systems to protect its IT environment. As a result, online ordering, delivery and parts of its digital services were temporarily unavailable.
Minister for Justice and Security David van Weel responded positively to the report. According to him, information from a police report can help the police and Public Prosecution Service in investigating those responsible and in the broader fight against cybercrime. The report does not mean that suspects have already been arrested or that the perpetrators are known.
Police have previously explained that reports from companies to the National Cyber Security Centre and reports filed with the police and Public Prosecution Service can both be important. A police report can provide information for a criminal investigation, while sharing technical information can also help identify similar attacks on other organisations.
Ahold Delhaize’s police report in itself says nothing about the scale of the damage, the precise method of attack or possible theft of customer data.
At the same time, the supermarket group was working to restore supplies and digital services. Albert Heijn previously reported that shops were gradually being restocked and that home delivery was expected to resume from Friday 23 October. That is the company’s expectation, not a guarantee that all systems will then be fully restored.
For customers, the report itself changes nothing about how they should deal with possible messages about the incident. They should remain alert to phishing and not simply click on links or requests for login details. A police report in itself does not show that a specific new phishing campaign is linked to the incident.
The investigation is now focusing on the technical circumstances, the people responsible and any consequences for data and business operations. The report may contribute to a criminal investigation, but says nothing yet about the guilt of specific individuals or the eventual damage.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Ahold Delhaize has filed a police report following a cyber incident.
- Police had previously asked the company to file a report.
- The method of attack, scale of the damage and identity of possible perpetrators have not been publicly established.
- The companies involved are working to restore digital services.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that companies providing essential services should quickly and fully share information with the police and regulators. From this perspective, transparency is more important than protecting the company’s reputation.
Values Public safety, digital resilience and consumer protection.
Consequences Greater openness may alert other organisations more quickly, but may also expose companies to reputational and liability risks.
Centre
Arguments Seeks to combine filing a report, sharing information and restoring services with restraint while the investigation is under way. Not every technical indication should be made public immediately.
Values Carefulness, the rule of law and practical cooperation.
Consequences A phased approach can protect the investigation and recovery, but leaves customers facing uncertainty for the time being.
Right
Arguments Emphasises that companies are primarily responsible for their own security and continuity. The government should mainly ensure effective investigation and clear standards, without interfering operationally in companies’ affairs.
Values Individual responsibility, security and limited government intervention.
Consequences Clear responsibilities can speed up decision-making, but weaker companies may have fewer resources to absorb major attacks.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The police report, the companies involved and the police response have been publicly confirmed. The text avoids unconfirmed claims about data theft, perpetrators and damage.
- confirmed Ahold Delhaize has filed a police report following the cyber incident. — This was reported in recent coverage and confirmed in the police context. source
- confirmed Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall have been affected since 11 October. — Ahold Delhaize described this in its media statement. source
- confirmed Police had previously invited the company to file a report. — This is stated on politie.nl. source
- confirmed According to Ahold Delhaize, an investigation pointed to malicious actors. — This is mentioned in recent reporting about the police report. source
- confirmed Home delivery was expected to resume from Friday 23 October. — This was reported as Albert Heijn’s expectation. source
Editor's note
The police report and the involvement of malicious actors have been confirmed. The method of attack, scale of the damage, impact on data and identity of the perpetrators remain unknown.Sources
The story so far
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 16:44 Albert Heijn to gradually resume deliveries on Friday
- Monday, 19 October 2026, 17:43 Ahold Delhaize reportedly filed police report after cyber incident
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 07:10 Damage from Albert Heijn cyber incident remains unclear
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 07:40 Albert Heijn expects deliveries to resume on Friday
- Tuesday, 20 October 2026, 13:12 Ahold Delhaize reports cyberattack to police (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „albert heijn”
- AD — „albert heijn”
- de Volkskrant — „albert heijn”