In brief
A coordinated cyber attack last week forced refrigeration units in French supermarkets to heat to dangerous temperatures, damaging fresh and frozen goods. At least 400 stores across major chains – including Coopérative U, Intermarché, Netto, Carrefour, Monoprix and E.Leclerc – were hit, with some losing up to €270 000 in a single outlet. The breach exploited software from Danish firm Danfoss, targeting older, un‑updatable models, and prompted a nationwide investigation by French prosecutors. Citizens and staff are urged to report spoilage and support transparency in the recall process.
A synchronized cyber attack rattled French grocery chains last week, turning the back‑room chillers that keep perishables safe into ovens that heated to 50 °C overnight.
Coopérative U reported that more than 100 of its supermarkets were affected, while the Intermarché group confirmed that 180 stores, including its Netto brand, faced the same breach. Other retailers – Carrefour, Monoprix and E .Leclerc – also flagged incidents in a handful of shops, with some managers forced to open their freezers to cool them down or, in one case, set the unit to a maximum temperature of 26.5 °C.
The software that controls the refrigeration units comes from Danish engineering firm Danfoss. The company explained that older models lack updateable security patches, and had long urged retailers to keep their systems supported.
While the precise scale of the sabotage remains unclear, estimates put the loss at around €400,000 across two centers in Alsace alone, hinting at a nationwide figure that could chen millions of euros in wasted food. In addition, the incident has sparked a fresh round of regulatory scrutiny, with a Paris prosecutor calling it a “large‑scale cyber‑attack” on the nation’s food supply chain.
What can you do? If you purchased food that later turned out spoiled or suspect, contact the retailer directly for a claim and report the incident to the Food Safety Commission. You can also share your experience in our participation form so the public record tracks this crisis.
