EU Commission to probe supermarket cyberattacks
The European Commission will assess how well supermarkets are prepared to handle cyberattacks after refrigerators in dozens of stores across at least six EU countries were taken offline.
EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen told POLITICO that the attacks would be discussed at the next meeting of its Security College to assess retailers' contingency plans and their ability to respond to incidents.
Widespread Disruptions
The announcement follows dozens of supermarkets across Europe reporting disruptions to their refrigeration and freezing systems on Monday. Incidents were reported in at least six EU countries — Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands and Estonia — with some retailers reporting that refrigerator temperatures had suddenly surged to as high as 50 degrees Celsius.
Security Concerns
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen set up the Commission's Security College in March 2025 to discuss strategic developments and threats to the EU's internal and external security. The Security College format lets commissioners examine attacks beyond their immediate impact on retailers, placing disruptions in the broader context of Europe's vulnerability to hybrid warfare.
These are a deliberate attempt to disrupt our food supply chain and undermine consumers' confidence in it — a warning that we must take seriously.
The commissioner stressed that Europe's food security is not at risk, but warned that these incidents exposed vulnerabilities in the food supply chain, with consequences for businesses, food waste and consumer confidence.
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