SuperValu forced to remove food from 13 stores in Ireland following cyberattack
An investigation has been launched as 13 Supervalu’s impacted by a suspected cyberattack affecting refrigeration systems
SuperValu has confirmed that 13 of its stores across Ireland have been impacted by a suspected cyberattack affecting refrigeration systems, forcing the removal of chilled and frozen products from sale.
The incident, which emerged on Monday afternoon, is understood to be part of a wider disruption affecting supermarkets across several European countries.
Musgrave, which owns the SuperValu brand, confirmed that a cyber incident had affected refrigeration equipment in 13 stores.
The retailer said the problem was limited to a specific model of refrigeration system and was detected through its monitoring procedures.
As a precautionary measure, all chilled and frozen products in the affected stores were removed from sale.
However, SuperValu has reassured customers that other products remain available and that food safety remains its priority.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Musgrave said:
"A cyber incident has affected refrigeration systems in 13 SuperValu stores."
The spokesperson explained that monitoring systems had alerted the company to the problem, allowing it to take immediate action.
"As a precaution, chilled and frozen products in the affected stores have been removed from sale, and all other products remain available as normal.
"Customer safety is our first priority, and customers can be confident that products on sale in our stores have been stored at safe temperatures."
The company said an investigation into the incident remains ongoing and that it is working closely with refrigeration equipment suppliers and cybersecurity specialists to resolve the issue.
The disruption comes amid reports of similar incidents at supermarket chains across Europe, including in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Several retailers have reported problems with refrigeration and freezer temperatures, with some stores forced to dispose of significant quantities of food.
The latest incidents follow a major cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets in October.
During that attack, hackers reportedly gained remote access to refrigeration controls, causing temperatures to rise dramatically and leaving large quantities of chilled and frozen food unsuitable for sale.
The incidents have raised concerns about the vulnerability of internet-connected refrigeration equipment used by major retailers.
It has not yet been established whether all the latest incidents are connected or who may be responsible.
SuperValu has said it is continuing to investigate the incident and working to restore normal operations at the affected stores as quickly as possible.