The European Commission will examine how well the continent's supermarkets can withstand cyberattacks after cooling systems failed at dozens of stores across at least six EU countries this week, Politico reported.

The incidents will be discussed by the Commission's Security College, agriculture and food commissioner Christophe Hansen told the outlet. The body will assess retailers' backup arrangements and how quickly they can respond to disruptions.

No date has been set, although cabinet chiefs agreed on Friday that the meeting should take place soon, an EU official told Politico.

“Europe's food supply chain must be prepared for new and evolving threats,” Hansen said. “The repeated cyberattacks on supermarkets are deeply concerning, causing economic losses for retailers and empty shelves for consumers.”

Created in March 2025 by Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, the Security College brings together all commissioners to address threats to the EU's security.

Bringing the supermarket incidents before it signals that the Commission is considering whether attacks on food supply chains could form part of a broader pattern of hybrid threats, with the potential to disrupt essential services and undermine public confidence.

On Monday, cooling systems at stores in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Estonia and the Netherlands reportedly reached temperatures of up to 50°C.

The affected retailers include Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, Carrefour, ICA, Coop and SuperValu, as well as one IKEA store in Belgium.

Sabcobel, the Belgian company responsible for cooling systems at Delhaize and other retailers, said attackers had switched refrigeration units into defrost mode. Its chief executive, Stephan Moelans, said technicians began work at 1am to disconnect affected units from the network.

Protecting older fridges against similar attacks will require physical hardware changes and additional investment, he added.

The incidents resemble attacks reported in France last month, when hackers targeted Danfoss-made control systems in hundreds of stores, causing food spoilage and fires at some locations. Intermarché's chief executive said the damage could cost millions of euros.

No group has claimed responsibility for either wave of attacks, and no suspects have been identified.

Hansen said Europe's food security was not under threat. However, he warned that the incidents had exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain, with consequences for retailers, food waste and consumer confidence. Commission officials had already met retailers affected by the French attacks in October.

“These are a deliberate attempt to disrupt our food supply chain and undermine consumers' confidence in it,” Hansen said, describing the incidents as a warning that should be taken seriously.