Cyberattacks Spike Freezer Temperatures Across Northern Europe
Grocers in Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg reported sudden heat surges in cooling systems after a suspected digital intrusion.
By Malik Salazar ·
Temperatures in commercial refrigeration units climbed to match the 50 degrees Celsius levels recorded during a recent French cyberattack, according to a Swedish supermarket chain. The spike occurred overnight and affected multiple grocery locations in Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg. John Billow, head of Sweden’s national cybersecurity centre, confirmed on Monday that the agency is handling multiple incidents linked to store cooling systems.
The pattern mirrors events in France, where a cyberattack on hundreds of supermarkets caused fridges to reach 122F. That incident led to spoiled food and fires at several sites. Ahold Delhaize had already reported a cybersecurity incident to Dutch police in the month prior to this current surge. The Belgian and Luxembourgian stores operate under the Ahold Delhaize banner.
Stephan Moelans, chief executive of refrigeration company Sabcobel, attributed the overnight temperature increases at dozens of Ahold Delhaize stores to a cyberattack. He spoke to the Belga news agency. A spokesperson for the supermarket chain initially described the issue as an IT incident affecting fridges and freezers while the company investigates. Sabcobel provides the cooling infrastructure for these locations.
In Sweden, operators ICA and Coop reported sudden temperature rises. A single Swedish store posted on social media on Monday that its equipment had been set to the same temperature as the French attack. ICA told Reuters in an email that a limited number of stores were impacted by an incident affecting their refrigeration and freezer systems overnight. The privately held retailer Coop told the Swedish daily Aftonbladet that six of its stores experienced similar incidents.
The events are currently under investigation by national cybersecurity authorities and corporate IT teams. No further timeline for repairs or a specific root cause has been announced. The affected regions span three countries, with Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg all reporting disruptions. The temperature data from the Swedish store provides a direct comparison to the previous French incident.
