Hackers hit European supermarket refrigeration systems, spoiling food and forcing stores to dump stock

What happened

Security News Around the Web hacking cyberattack Hackers hit European supermarket refrigeration systems, spoiling food and forcing stores to dump stock Freezers were set to defrost mode for hours on end By Shawn Knight October 12, 2026, 11:19 Add TechSpot Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. A spokesperson for the supermarket chain told Bloomberg that attackers infiltrated controls for the cooling systems and activated the defrost mode, which heated them to 50 degrees Celsius, or 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roughly six hours passed before employees noticed. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust .

In a nutshell: Cyber attackers are causing major headaches for grocery shoppers across Europe. On Sunday night, hackers targeted refrigeration systems at around 150 Intermarché stores, forcing employees to toss out food that is no longer safe to consume.

The attack wasn't limited to Intermarché stores. According to Agence France-Presse, fewer than 100 Cooperative U stores were also hit.