Cyberattack hits refrigeration systems in several European countries
Temperatures were also adjusted remotely at 17 companies in the Netherlands, the supplier reports.
Follow-up to: Cyberattack disables cooling at Belgian supermarkets Monday, 2 November 2026, 10:15
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Supermarket refrigeration and freezing systems in several European countries were hit by a cyberattack on Monday. According to Danfoss, temperatures were adjusted at 17 companies in the Netherlands; the supplier reports that no major supermarket chains were involved.
According to public reports, the Dutch incidents were reported after similar problems had been identified in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden and Estonia. The attackers reportedly gained access to systems used to manage refrigeration remotely. It is unclear whether products had to be checked or discarded.
Information from the Dutch Cybersecurity Incident Response Team and suppliers does not yet make clear who was behind the attacks or whether all the incidents were caused by the same perpetrators. Danfoss says temperature settings were changed at 17 companies in the Netherlands. Most shops took measures; a small number did not, a spokesperson told NOS.
In Belgium, Carrefour reported that 15 shops had been affected. The supermarket chain said the impact remained limited. According to public reports, Delhaize and Colruyt also reported incidents involving refrigerators and freezers, while ICA and Coop in Sweden investigated similar temperature rises. Sweden’s national cybersecurity service told Reuters that several incidents involving supermarket refrigeration systems were being examined.
The suspected attacks follow an incident in France last month, in which hundreds of shops belonging to various chains were reportedly affected, according to Reuters. There, refrigeration systems were reportedly remotely put into defrost mode, and temperatures rose to as high as 50 degrees Celsius in some places, according to French authorities. No link has yet been established between the French case and the new incidents: there is no confirmation that all the attacks form a single campaign.
The scale of the direct consequences for Dutch consumers remains unclear. NOS reported that no major Dutch supermarket chains were among the 17 affected companies. Danfoss also says there is no evidence that the problems at Albert Heijn are connected to the attacks on refrigeration systems. According to public reports, Ahold Delhaize had experienced a separate security incident earlier; that is not evidence of a connection.
The broader vulnerability is clear, however: refrigeration systems can be accessed remotely because maintenance and management take place through networks. This makes them efficient to manage, but increases the consequences of poorly secured accounts, outdated software or inadequate network segmentation. Researchers and authorities have not yet identified a definitive technical cause or responsible party.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries were affected on 2 November.
- Temperature settings were adjusted at 17 companies in the Netherlands.
- The responsible party and the connection between the incidents have not been established.
Left
Arguments The attacks show that essential food supplies cannot be left solely to market participants. Governments should establish stricter security requirements, supervision and support for smaller companies.
Values Collective security, public responsibility and protection of workers and consumers.
Consequences More rules and investment may increase costs, but this approach argues that they reduce the risk of digital attacks causing food waste or disruption.
Centre
Arguments The first step is to establish which systems were misused and which measures are proportionate. Government, suppliers and supermarket companies must share information without harming ongoing investigations or corporate security.
Values Practical feasibility, proportionality and institutional responsibility.
Consequences Targeted security standards and better reporting procedures can improve resilience without regulating every system in the same way.
Right
Arguments Companies that connect their systems to the internet should primarily be responsible themselves for security and continuity. New broad rules could burden innovation and business operations before it is clear what exactly went wrong.
Values Individual responsibility, limited government intervention and protection of entrepreneurship.
Consequences The emphasis is on liability, contractual arrangements and enforcement against concrete negligence, rather than general obligations for the entire sector.
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 article’s core claims are confirmed by NOS, AP and Reuters. Uncertainties about the perpetrators, technical cause and connection between the incidents are explicitly noted.
- confirmed On 2 November, supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries were affected by suspected cyberattacks. — Confirmed by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed Temperature settings were adjusted at 17 companies in the Netherlands. — Reported by NOS based on information from Danfoss. source
- confirmed The affected Dutch companies were not major supermarket chains. — NOS cites a Danfoss spokesperson on this. source
- confirmed In Belgium, Carrefour reported 15 affected shops. — Reported by Reuters and AP. source
- confirmed There is no evidence that the incidents at Albert Heijn are connected to the refrigeration attacks. — NOS explicitly reports this based on the parties involved. source
Editor's note
It is certain that on 2 November 2026 supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries were affected and that temperature settings were adjusted at 17 companies in the Netherlands. The responsible party, the technical vulnerability and the connection between the incidents have not yet been established.Sources
- Ook koelsystemen in Nederland aangevallen, bij 17 bedrijven temperatuur aangepast — NOS
- Freezers at supermarkets in several European countries hit by apparent cyberattacks — Associated Press
- European supermarkets hit by new fridge cyber attack — Reuters via MarketScreener
The story so far
- Monday, 2 November 2026, 10:15 Cyberattack disables cooling at Belgian supermarkets
- Monday, 2 November 2026, 14:44 Cyberattack hits refrigeration systems in several European countries (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „cyberaanval supermarkten”
- NRC — „cyberaanval supermarkten”
- Tweakers — „cyberaanval supermarkten”