Hackers Remotely Set Swedish Supermarket Freezers to 50C in Devastating Overnight Cyberattack on ICA

Several ICA supermarkets in Sweden say hackers remotely tampered with their refrigeration systems overnight, with one store in Sjöbo reporting that freezer temperatures were driven up to 50°C and large amounts of food had to be thrown away.

The company, one of Sweden's largest grocery retailers, confirmed that a limited number of stores had been affected by an overnight incident involving their cooling and freezing systems.

ICA Kvantum in Sjöbo remained closed during the morning while staff dealt with the damage. The store said it hoped to reopen at 9am local time and apologised to customers.

ICA has not publicly identified those responsible or explained how the refrigeration systems were accessed. IBTimes UK has not independently verified all the claims circulating online, and the circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.

What the ICA Cyberattack Hit

Public broadcaster SVT reported that at least four ICA stores were affected, in Sjöbo, Tomelilla, Brösarp and Sankt Olof. ICA itself named ICA Kvantum branches in Sjöbo and Tomelilla among those affected. The Sjöbo store was forced to close temporarily, according to SVT.

Temperatures inside the cooling units reportedly reached 50C.

Dennis Vidal, the store manager in Sankt Olof, said: 'Everything is ruined.' He added that temperatures at his store were returning to normal, though the food could not be saved.

ICA said it is assisting the affected stores and working to restore normal operations. It has not published a figure for lost stock, although the company said large quantities of food had likely spoiled.

Coop Stores Also Caught Up

Aftonbladet reported, citing information provided to the newspaper, that several Coop stores had also been affected. Coop stores in central Sweden faced issues at six sites, according to the latest reporting.

ICA operates around 1,300 grocery stores across Sweden, while Coop has about 800. Together, that is roughly 2,100 shops, though only a small fraction appears to be involved so far.

No one has confirmed whether the Coop problems share a cause with those at ICA.

French Parallels and Open Questions

The Swedish incident follows a series of reported cyberattacks affecting supermarket refrigeration systems in France on 11-12 October 2026.

Hundreds of French supermarkets experienced disruptions after attackers reportedly manipulated refrigeration controls, causing temperatures to rise and food to spoil. Investigative reporting identified vulnerabilities involving equipment from manufacturers including Danfoss.

It remains unclear whether the affected Swedish stores use the same refrigeration equipment implicated in the French incidents. No connection between the attacks has been established, and those responsible for the Swedish incident have not been identified.

The Swedish incident also comes amid separate reports of refrigeration-related cyber incidents elsewhere. US authorities are investigating freezer malfunctions at military commissaries as a possible cyberattack. The Pentagon has not identified a culprit or established a connection to the incidents in Europe.

Supermarkets Confront New Security Questions

The incidents show that attacks on industrial control systems can affect physical equipment. When refrigeration controls are compromised, attackers can change temperature settings, causing food to spoil and businesses to incur financial losses without stealing data or merchandise.

For supermarket operators, the incidents focus attention on the security of internet-connected refrigeration equipment and the effects of unauthorised changes to temperature controls.

For shoppers, the immediate impact is disruption at affected branches and the loss of perishable stock. The Sjöbo store said it hoped to reopen at 9am local time, but the reopening schedules of other affected locations were not confirmed in the available reports.

ICA has not identified those responsible or said when all affected stores will return to normal operations.