Delhaize, Carrefour and Belgian SPAR stores were affected by the hacking, and Sabcobel, which operates systems used by Delhaize, saw unit evaporators set to defrost. As a result, units were warmed up, and the business confirmed it had been working to disconnect the affected units from the network.

In the UK, a number of businesses reported their fridges being warmed up, as reported by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS). The Association confirmed that no produce had been lost.

Tony Goodger, head of communications at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), commented: “Our view is that the hackers have decided to target European supermarkets, and a few of our 300+ members who operate the same software have unexpectedly become ‘collateral’ within the hack.

“None that have been affected have lost any meat but, once again, this must act as a reminder to all in the food industry, at whatever point in the supply chain they are, that their businesses may be seen by some as targets. We urge our members and the wider industry to be vigilant.”

The news of the hacks affecting UK businesses comes following a similar hack in France in October, when refrigerators in stores were warmed up and produce had to be destroyed.

Graham Wynn, assistant director of regulatory affairs at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said: “Retailers invest heavily in their cybersecurity and are currently working with the National Cyber Security Centre to ensure their fridges and freezers are secure as possible against potential attacks.”

A spokesperson for the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said: “We are aware of a small number of UK organisations that may be affected by this incident as a result of vulnerabilities on their systems, and the NCSC is supporting those that may be impacted. We continue to liaise with our international partners and the affected sectors to understand and mitigate its impact.”