Tech Desk: A crippling new supermarket cyberattack has swept across Europe, targeting refrigeration systems in multiple countries and forcing retailers to discard vast quantities of food. This incident, occurring just weeks after a similar attack in France, has affected major chains including Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, Coop, and even an IKEA store, highlighting a growing vulnerability in critical infrastructure.

The sophisticated attack manipulated fridge and freezer temperatures, with some units reportedly reaching a scorching 50 degrees Celsius. The Danish firm Danfoss, whose equipment was involved in the previous French incident, is again implicated. While no group has claimed responsibility, authorities across Belgium, Sweden, and Ireland have launched investigations into what appears to be a coordinated effort to disrupt the food supply chain.

The financial toll is significant, with one Belgian butchery estimating losses of €15,000 in meat alone. Beyond immediate economic damage, these repeated supermarket cyberattacks are eroding consumer confidence and exposing the fragile nature of interconnected systems. The EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen has labelled the incidents a serious warning, urging robust measures to safeguard vital food networks against future digital threats.