Ahold Delhaize investigates cybersecurity incident, takes systems offline
Ahold Delhaize is experiencing a cybersecurity incident and has taken some of its systems offline as a precaution.
Dutch food retail giant Ahold Delhaize has taken precautionary measures following a cybersecurity incident, according to a press release on Monday.
Although the press release doesn’t provide many details, the company states that it has taken some of its systems offline to help protect them. It also says that stores remain open and continue to serve customers.
“Protecting our infrastructure in the best interest of our customers, associates, and partners is a top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused customers and partners,” Ahold Delhaize says in a statement.
One of Ahold Delhaize’s brands that’s affected by the cybersecurity incident is Albert Heijn, one of the largest supermarket chains in the Netherlands and Belgium.
In a separate press release, Albert Heijn says that it has been dealing with the incident since Sunday afternoon and that it has affected the company’s websites, apps, and customer service.
Albert Heijn has temporarily taken its logistics systems offline, meaning that online orders can’t be delivered to customers until further notice.
In addition, personal shopping discounts linked to Albert Heijn’s loyalty program “Mijn AH” currently aren’t working. The company promises to compensate shoppers as soon as possible. Customers are asked to keep their receipts so they can collect their personal discounts.
In the meantime, stores remain open, and checkout systems are still operational. However, last week’s promotional prices are still visible on the electronic shelf labels. Consequently, the price displayed on the shelf label for last week's promotions may be lower than the price charged at the checkout.
“We are investigating the incident and working to restore our services. Protecting the data of our customers, employees, and partners is our top priority. We cannot yet say when our services will be available again. We will share an update as soon as more information becomes available,” Albert Heijn says in a statement.
According to Dutch news outlets, drugstore chain Etos and liquor store chain Gall & Gall are also affected by the cybersecurity incident at Ahold Delhaize.
Ahold Delhaize owns and operates a portfolio of supermarket chains and specialty stores, including Albert Heijn, Etos, Gall & Gall, and bol.
The parent company operates more than 9,550 stores worldwide, employs more than 384,000 workers, and serves well over 77 million customers per week. It earned around €92.4 billion in revenue last year.