Refrigeration and freezer units at a number of supermarkets in Sweden experienced a sudden temperature increase overnight, reaching as high as 50°C. The incident disrupted stores and raised suspicions of a cyberattack similar to one reported in France on October 12.
Dennis Vidal, a manager at one of the affected stores in southern Sweden, told public broadcaster SVT that staff were emptying the freezers because little else could be done. Although the units had begun cooling again, he said the food had already been ruined.
Some Ica and Coop supermarkets remained closed during the first hours of the morning while staff dealt with the problem. However, there was no official confirmation of the cause.
Gustaf Nilsson, a spokesperson for the Ica Group’s supermarkets, said a limited number of stores had been affected by an overnight incident that compromised their refrigeration and freezing systems. Authorities and the companies are considering a cyberattack as a possible explanation.
Sources: ANSA Mondo.