Major French supermarket chains reported on October 12, 2026, that they were affected by a cyberattack that caused refrigeration systems to malfunction in hundreds of stores, leading to spoilage of food products. Retailers E. Leclerc, Intermarche, and Cooperative U confirmed the incident, with Cooperative U's chief executive describing it as 'unprecedented.' EU food and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen emphasized the importance of food security in light of the attack.
The attack targeted at least 300 Intermarche and Netto stores, over 100 Cooperative U outlets, and several E. Leclerc locations. Paris prosecutors confirmed the incident, which also reportedly caused fires in some stores. BFM TV reported that hackers were able to remotely trigger defrosting in refrigeration systems.
Intermarche stated that affected stores would need to discard all fresh and frozen products. E. Leclerc acknowledged that the cyberattack impacted one of its refrigeration equipment suppliers, leading to operational issues in several stores. A source indicated that refrigeration control systems from Danish manufacturer Danfoss were specifically targeted. Danfoss stated that many affected systems were legacy products lacking current software or security updates.
A representative from the French Prime Minister's office noted that France's cyber security agency had identified a vulnerability in the software from the Danish company and was coordinating with European counterparts to prevent further issues. Cooperative U's chief executive condemned the targeting of essential equipment for food preservation and called for an investigation into the attack.
The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the large-scale cyberattack, aiming to identify victims and assess the damage related to food losses and fires. Intermarche expressed concern over the waste and financial losses resulting from the attack. The incident highlights increasing worries about the potential impact of cyberattacks on various sectors in Europe. President Emmanuel Macron had previously ordered measures to safeguard France's critical infrastructure from hybrid attacks, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical tensions.