Cyberattack on French supermarket fridges heats them to 50C, sparks fires

A cyberattack on French supermarket refrigeration systems caused fridges and freezers to heat up to as much as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight, ruining fresh produce and starting fires at multiple chains, Reuters reported on Monday.

The affected retailers include Carrefour, Monoprix, the Les Mousquetaires-owned Intermarché, and Coopérative U, among others. Dominique Schelcher, chief executive of Coopérative U, confirmed that cyberattacks had hit the "refrigeration production facilities of several stores."

"Attacking equipment that is essential to the preservation of fresh products and the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and unprecedented. It is unacceptable," Schelcher wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Felix Aime, a senior cyber threat intelligence analyst at Sekoia Threat Detection and Research, said the attack affected several European countries including Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium, according to Reuters.

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen condemned the attack in a post on X, saying: "I strongly condemn the cyberattack targeting food products at Intermarché, Coopérative U and Leclerc." He added that "food security requires more attention at all levels," warning that "the weaponization of food has become a reality."

CNBC said it had sought comment from Carrefour, Monoprix, Intermarché, Coopérative U and E. Leclerc but had not immediately received responses.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The attack hit essential food-chain infrastructure, not just IT systems, spoiling stock and causing physical damage from fires.
The reported spread across several European countries suggests a coordinated campaign targeting a common vulnerability in commercial refrigeration equipment.
EU officials framing the incident as the "weaponization of food" signals that attacks on food supply chains are now a policy and security concern, not merely a corporate IT issue.

Background

Commercial refrigeration systems in supermarkets are increasingly connected to networks for remote monitoring and energy management. When an attacker gains access to such systems, they can change temperature setpoints or disable cooling. This incident appears to have exploited that access on a broad scale. The reported involvement of multiple chains across countries points to shared equipment suppliers or common software platforms as a likely vector, though no technical details have been confirmed.

Key Perspectives

Supermarket operators: Retailers and executives such as Coopérative U's Schelcher describe the attack as a direct threat to food safety and supply, emphasizing both the physical damage and the disruption to consumers. European officials: Commissioner Hansen treats the attack as an escalation, calling food security a matter requiring "attention at all levels" and describing food as a weapon. Security analysts: Threat intelligence experts such as Sekoia's Felix Aime are focused on the scope: the reported reach across at least five European countries indicates the attackers had broad access, and the emphasis is now on identifying how the intrusion happened and whether other sites remain at risk.

What to Watch

Whether retailers disclose which refrigeration vendor or software platform was compromised, which would clarify the attack surface.
Any announcements from French authorities or Europol about the identity or motives of the attackers.
Reports of further incidents outside Europe or additional supermarket chains confirming they were affected.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Background

Key Perspectives

What to Watch

Sources