Refrigeration systems at 13 SuperValu stores affected by hack swiftly resolved
Issues with the refrigeration systems at 13 SuperValu stores across Ireland were swiftly fully resolved after a suspected cyber attack affected them on 2nd November.
Musgrave, which owns SuperValu, said in a statement that all stores are now operating as normal.
“Replenishment of chilled and frozen ranges in the affected stores is well under way, and we are working to ensure customers can get everything they need as quickly as possible,” the statement said.
“We would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding,” it added.
On 2nd November, RTE reported that Musgrave confirmed that the cyber incident was limited to a specific model of refrigeration. It said it was monitoring systems alerted them to the issue and immediate action was taken.
It said that as a precaution, chilled and frozen products in the affected stores were removed from sale, and all other products remain available as normal.
Musgrave said customer safety was its first priority, and that customers could be confident that products on sale in its stores had been stored at safe temperatures.
A number of stores, including the SuperValu in Bray Co Wicklow, did not open on time on 2nd November as planned while staff dealt with the issue.
Among the other stores affected were; SuperValu in Lucan, Blanchardstown and Ranelagh in Dublin, and one store in Waterford.
SuperValu said it worked with cybersecurity specialists to resolve the issue and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan was briefed on the situation and the National Cyber Security Centre also closely monitored the situation.
Meanwhile, dozens of Belgian grocery stores and an Ikea superstore confirmed they had been hit by a refrigerator cyber attack.
Cyberattacks hit supermarket fridges and freezers in Europe, Belgium launches investigation
Dozens of supermarkets in Europe also reported temperatures of their refrigerators and fridges rising overnight, now widely believed to be caused by cyber attacks similar to the one that affected France several weeks ago.
Supermarket chains in Belgium, Sweden, Estonia, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland were affected.
The supermarket refrigerator hacking story in France involved a significant cyberattack on October 11, 2026, affecting multiple French supermarkets. Hackers manipulated industrial refrigeration controllers to activate the defrost function, raising temperatures to dangerous levels. The incident led to the spoilage of fresh and frozen food, fires, and financial losses estimated at several million euros. French prosecutors have opened a cybercrime investigation, and the national cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, is coordinating with European counterparts to prevent further breaches. The attack highlights the growing cybersecurity risks associated with interconnected physical infrastructure.
