Supermarket freezers in Belgium and Sweden hit by suspected cyber-attack

Supermarket chains in Belgium and Sweden have reported that the temperatures in their refrigerators and freezers rose unexpectedly overnight, leading to significant food losses. This incident is suspected to be a cyber-attack, similar to one that affected hundreds of French supermarkets in October, according to BBC World and The Guardian.

In Belgium, around 40 Delhaize supermarkets and 15 Carrefour stores experienced the issue. Delhaize described it as a "computer incident" affecting multiple shops, while Carrefour said it was analyzing the situation. In Sweden, several ICA and Coop stores were impacted, with ICA confirming a limited number of stores outside its central network were affected.

One ICA store in Sjöbo, southern Sweden, reported that its freezer temperatures were set to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), forcing the store to discard thousands of euros worth of food. The store temporarily closed but has since reopened. Several Coop stores in Sweden were also affected.

Authorities and supermarket chains have not yet identified who is behind the attacks. ICA stated it is supporting the affected stores in managing the situation. The incident follows a similar cyber-attack in France last month that caused millions of euros in food losses.