French supermarket chain Intermarché is dealing with a major cybersecurity incident after around 150 of its stores were targeted in an attack that disrupted refrigeration systems and threatened food safety. The incident, reported on Monday (October 12, 2026), has raised concerns about the vulnerability of connected equipment in essential retail operations.
Les Mousquetaires, the retail group that owns Intermarché, confirmed the attack and said affected food products had been discarded to prevent potential health risks. The incident highlighted how cyberattacks can move beyond digital systems and cause direct physical and financial damage to businesses.
According to the company, refrigeration units in affected stores were heated to temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius for approximately six hours. Such conditions can compromise the safety of fresh and frozen food, making products unsuitable for sale or consumption.
Intermarché disposed the affected stock, which created additional operational pressure for store teams. When refrigeration equipment is connected to digital networks, weaknesses in security can potentially affect the everyday functioning of a supermarket.
The incident appears to extend beyond Intermarché. French news reports on October 12 indicated that Coopérative U, which operates brands including Super U and Hyper U, had also experienced disruptions involving refrigeration equipment.
Around 100 of its outlets were reportedly affected. Additional reports mentioned possible impacts on other supermarket groups, including E.Leclerc, Carrefour Market and Monoprix, although those claims had not all been independently confirmed by the companies concerned.
The wider reports suggest that the incident could have implications for France's retail sector beyond a single supermarket chain. However, the full number of affected stores and the overall financial impact remain unclear.
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French authorities have confirmed that a cyberattack occurred, and reports indicate that the incident also prompted fires at some locations. Investigators will need to establish how the attackers accessed the systems, which equipment was compromised and whether multiple retail groups were affected through a common vulnerability.