Albert Heijn Warns of Possible Food Supply Disruptions Due to IT Shutdown

Margaret Westerden-van Dein, the CEO of Albert Heijn, informed NOS television that the network has completely stopped operations in some distribution centers. She stated that the IT system was shut down as a precautionary measure following a cyber incident. The exact number of affected facilities was not disclosed by the management.

The company believes that the disruptions might mainly impact the supply of fresh products, including vegetables and fruits. The situation with frozen goods is expected to be somewhat better according to Albert Heijn, as different categories of products are delivered through different distribution centers.

The network has yet to determine how long the disruption will last. Westerden-van Dein also could not confirm whether the cybercriminals had accessed the company’s information systems. "The investigation of the cyber incident is ongoing. Unfortunately, I cannot provide any information on this matter at the moment," she stated.

Due to the malfunction, some Albert Heijn stores displayed outdated promotional prices that were valid last week. A TASS correspondent particularly noted these prices on dairy products. Personal discounts linked to the loyalty card and mobile app are temporarily unavailable.

Albert Heijn promised to reimburse customers for any missed discounts once possible and advised saving receipts. The company did not provide further details about the technical breach.

Earlier, NRC reported that the disruption in the IT systems of the Dutch division of the Ahold Delhaize group led to the shutdown of Albert Heijn’s websites, apps, and support services. According to the publication, the services of cosmetics stores Etos and the Gall & Gall liquor chain also became unavailable. Ahold Delhaize described the incident as a "security problem" without specifying the details.