Cyber Attack Spoils Millions in French Supermarket Food

Hundreds of French supermarkets have fallen victim to a significant cyber attack that disrupted refrigeration systems, leading to the spoilage of fresh and frozen food valued at millions of euros. The hackers reportedly gained control of the software managing the temperature regulation in the units, causing some to heat up to 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight.

Coopérative U reported that nearly 100 of its stores were affected by the "extremely serious and unprecedented" attack. Intermarché also confirmed that between 150 and 200 of its supermarkets were impacted. In the case of Intermarché, refrigerators warmed to 50C for six hours, prompting the retailer to discard all affected food to prevent health risks, according to AFP news agency.

Some supermarket employees reported opening freezer units on Monday morning to find waves of hot air. Images shared by French broadcaster BFMTV showed a freezer in an ice cream aisle displaying a temperature of 26.5C. Two supermarkets in the Alsace region reported losses totaling €270,000, suggesting the nationwide financial impact could reach into the millions.

Prosecutors in Paris have confirmed the cyber attack and indicated that it also prompted fire outbreaks. While the full scale of the incident is still being determined, specialist retail and local media have reported that stores from other major chains, including Carrefour, E.Leclerc, and Monoprix, may also have been targeted.

Dominique Schelcher, the chief executive of Coopérative U, stated on X that staff were actively working with refrigeration specialists to restore normal operations. He called for an investigation into the hack, deeming it "unacceptable" to target equipment critical to the French food supply chain.