Ahold Delhaize Takes Systems Offline Following Cyberattack
Multinational retail giant Ahold Delhaize was forced to take portions of its network offline following a cybersecurity incident, impacting both digital services and store operations across regions.
Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer
Network Incident Prompts Precautionary Measures
Retail giant Ahold Delhaize, recognized as one of the world's largest food retail chains, confirmed that it was forced to take some systems offline in response to a cybersecurity incident impacting its network infrastructure. [BleepingComputer source details can be found on BleepingComputer](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/retail-giant-ahold-delhaize-takes-systems-offline-after-cyberattack/).
As a major multinational retailer and wholesale company, Ahold Delhaize manages over 9,400 local stores throughout Europe, the United States, and Indonesia. The corporation employs nearly 400,000 workers and serves roughly 60 million customers weekly through physical store locations and online channels.
Global Brands and Operations Affected
Reporting yearly net sales exceeding $104 billion in 2024, Ahold Delhaize owns a broad portfolio of well-known retail brands. In Europe, these include Delhaize, Maxi, Mega Image, Albert, bol, Alfa Beta, Etos, Gall & Gall, and Profi. In the American market, the company operates popular chains such as Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Giant Food, and Hannaford.
In an official press release published regarding the matter, [it said](https://newsroom.aholddelhaize.com/ahold-delhaize-takes-precautionary-measures-following-cybersecurity-incident/) that teams are actively working to mitigate the incident while ensuring physical stores remain open to customers.
According to the company's statement, protecting its infrastructure in the best interest of customers, associates, and partners remains a primary priority, while also offering apologies for any inconvenience caused by the technical disruption.
Immediate Disruptions for Employees and Customers
The network disruption has caused noticeable fallout for workers and shoppers across different regions. Employees at the American regional supermarket chain Stop & Shop reported that they are [having trouble accessing their schedules and pay stubs](https://www.reddit.com/r/stopandshop/comments/1x3gjvx/all_of_a_sudden_i_cant_access_my_schedule_or/).
Additionally, shoppers in the Netherlands and Belgium [have been unable to use websites, apps, and customer service platforms](https://nos.nl/artikel/2634644-geen-bezorging-en-verkeerde-winkelprijzen-na-cyberveiligheidsincident-bij-albert-heijn) at Albert Heijn, Etos, Gall & Gall, and Delhaize stores.
An internal memo shared by Food Lion employees in the United States showed that management [flagged the incident as an IT outage](https://www.reddit.com/r/foodlion/comments/1x3kct0/outage/pfcf5do/) and warned staff that stores might be unable to shop, stage, or hand off orders properly.
Prior Security Incidents Involving the Retailer
When questioned regarding whether corporate and store systems were both affected, whether the disruptions stretched worldwide, or if devices were encrypted during the event, a company spokesperson directed inquiries back to the official statement.
This current event marks the second major cybersecurity incident to strike Ahold Delhaize in recent years. Previously, the [ransomware group INC Ransom stole](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ahold-delhaize-confirms-data-theft-after-inc-ransomware-claims-attack/) sensitive personal, financial, and health data.
That previous November 2024 attack impacted the company's U.S. systems and ultimately compromised information belonging to [over 2.2 million individuals](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/retail-giant-ahold-delhaize-says-data-breach-affects-22-million-people/), according to security disclosures.
Sources
- BleepingComputerRetail giant Ahold Delhaize takes systems offline after cyberattack
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