French Supermarkets Hit by Unprecedented Cyberattack Causing Food Spoilage and Fires
Paris – A massive cyberattack targeting the refrigeration infrastructure of major supermarket chains in France has resulted in significant food spoilage and sparked fires at multiple locations. The incident, described as unprecedented by retail executives, involved hackers remotely manipulating temperature controls in freezers and coolers, causing internal temperatures to surge up to 50 degrees Celsius. Top retailers including Intermarche, Cooperative U, E Leclerc, Carrefour, and Monoprix confirmed on Monday that their systems had been compromised.
According to statements provided to the AFP news agency, the scale of the disruption was widespread. At least 300 stores belonging to Intermarche or its Netto brand were targeted, alongside more than 100 outlets operated by Cooperative U. Carrefour reported that 80 of its supermarkets were affected, while Monoprix stated that approximately five percent of its roughly 490 stores experienced the breach. E Leclerc confirmed that several of its locations were also hit by the intrusion.
The Paris prosecutor’s office characterized the event as a large-scale attack affecting connected refrigerators across several major food retailers nationwide. Authorities noted that the technical failure led directly to substantial food losses and physical fires at some sites. The severity of the incident prompted Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to order an immediate investigation by France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI). A source within the Prime Minister’s office told Reuters that the government is coordinating with European counterparts, citing concerns that other nations might be similarly vulnerable.
Authorities are currently assessing whether additional French companies face risks from the same threat vector. The attack highlights the growing vulnerability of critical supply chain infrastructure to digital intrusions. Retailers are working to restore normal operations and assess the full extent of the financial and logistical damage caused by the compromised cooling systems. The incident has drawn international attention due to its potential implications for food security and retail stability across Europe.
This report was produced in the Europe Brief News newsroom.
