Ahold Delhaize takes systems offline after cybersecurity incident
Ahold Delhaize took specific systems offline on October 12 to mitigate a confirmed cybersecurity issue within its network. The Netherlands-based retailer, which operates more than 9,400 stores globally, stated that its teams are working to assess the problem while protecting its operations. The disruption has affected online services for five major U.S. supermarket chains: Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford, Giant, and Giant Food. According to Grocery Dive, websites and mobile apps for these chains remained unavailable on the morning of Wednesday, October 14, marking at least the third consecutive day of interruption. Customers have been unable to access online ordering, digital coupons, and certain app-based loyalty features. Ahold Delhaize serves approximately 60 million customers weekly across its international businesses, meaning the technology failure has impacted grocery shopping well beyond individual stores. In an update issued on October 13 and revised on October 14, the company confirmed it was beginning a controlled relaunch of certain systems. The retailer is working with external cybersecurity experts and appropriate authorities to investigate the incident. An Ahold Delhaize USA spokesperson told CyberGuy that teams are working to restore systems safely, including websites, that were taken offline as a precautionary measure. The company apologized for the disruption but has not publicly identified the cause of the problem or explained how its network was compromised. Ahold Delhaize has not confirmed whether ransomware played a role in this specific incident. Physical stores across Europe and the United States remain open and are serving customers, with pharmacies operating during normal business hours. However, grocery pickup and delivery services have faced significant interruptions. Food Lion, Giant Food, and The Giant Company directed customers to third-party delivery services such as Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats where available. The company stated that customers who placed unfulfilled online orders would receive refunds. As of the October 14 update, investigators had found no evidence that customer, employee, or partner data was taken during this incident. However, the investigation is ongoing, and preliminary findings do not definitively rule out data theft. This is not the first major security issue for the company. In November 2024, Ahold Delhaize USA Services disclosed that attackers accessed internal systems in the United States without authorization. That breach exposed sensitive personal information belonging to more than 2.2 million people, according to a filing with the Maine Attorney General which cited approximately 2.24 million affected individuals. The ransomware group INC Ransom claimed responsibility for the 2024 attack, though Ahold Delhaize did not confirm the group's involvement. There is currently no confirmed connection between the 2024 breach and the October 2026 incident. The company has not provided a firm timetable for the full restoration of all affected services.
Ahold Delhaize took specific systems offline on October 12 to mitigate a confirmed cybersecurity issue within its network. The Netherlands-based retailer, which operates more than 9,400 stores globally, stated that its teams are working to assess the problem while protecting its operations. The disruption has affected online services for five major U.S. supermarket chains: Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford, Giant, and Giant Food. According to Grocery Dive, websites and mobile apps for these chains remained unavailable on the morning of Wednesday, October 14, marking at least the third consecutive day of interruption. Customers have been unable to access online ordering, digital coupons, and certain app-based loyalty features. Ahold Delhaize serves approximately 60 million customers weekly across its international businesses, meaning the technology failure has impacted grocery shopping well beyond individual stores. In an update issued on October 13 and revised on October 14, the company confirmed it was beginning a controlled relaunch of certain systems. The retailer is working with external cybersecurity experts and appropriate authorities to investigate the incident. An Ahold Delhaize USA spokesperson told CyberGuy that teams are working to restore systems safely, including websites, that were taken offline as a precautionary measure. The company apologized for the disruption but has not publicly identified the cause of the problem or explained how its network was compromised. Ahold Delhaize has not confirmed whether ransomware played a role in this specific incident. Physical stores across Europe and the United States remain open and are serving customers, with pharmacies operating during normal business hours. However, grocery pickup and delivery services have faced significant interruptions. Food Lion, Giant Food, and The Giant Company directed customers to third-party delivery services such as Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber Eats where available. The company stated that customers who placed unfulfilled online orders would receive refunds. As of the October 14 update, investigators had found no evidence that customer, employee, or partner data was taken during this incident. However, the investigation is ongoing, and preliminary findings do not definitively rule out data theft. This is not the first major security issue for the company. In November 2024, Ahold Delhaize USA Services disclosed that attackers accessed internal systems in the United States without authorization. That breach exposed sensitive personal information belonging to more than 2.2 million people, according to a filing with the Maine Attorney General which cited approximately 2.24 million affected individuals. The ransomware group INC Ransom claimed responsibility for the 2024 attack, though Ahold Delhaize did not confirm the group's involvement. There is currently no confirmed connection between the 2024 breach and the October 2026 incident. The company has not provided a firm timetable for the full restoration of all affected services.