“We cannot tolerate a wave of ransomware that cripples the daily lives of European citizens,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, as Berlin, Bucharest and London each confirmed major cyber incidents at leading grocery chains.
In Germany, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) reported that the retailer REWE Group suffered a ransomware breach that forced the temporary shutdown of 1,200 stores across the country, affecting roughly 3.5 million shoppers.
And in Romania, the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed that the supermarket chain Carrefour Romania was hit by a distributed‑denial‑of‑service attack that disrupted online orders for three days, costing an estimated €12 million in lost sales.
But the United Kingdom saw the most public fallout: the Food Retail Association announced that Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda faced coordinated attacks that compromised point‑of‑sale systems, leading to long checkout lines and a 7 percent dip in weekend sales.
Because the attacks exploited a common vulnerability in older versions of the Windows operating system, the EU’s Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) says the threat actor likely used a known exploit that many businesses have failed to patch.
I spoke with a cybersecurity analyst at a Berlin firm who said the attackers demanded a €5 million ransom in Bitcoin — a sum that REWE refused to pay, opting instead for a costly system rebuild.
Pure chaos. The speed of the attacks suggests a coordinated campaign, possibly linked to the notorious ransomware group “LockBit,” which has been active across Europe since early 2023.
And the ripple effects are already being felt on the supply chain; a shortage of fresh produce in German supermarkets has driven up prices by an average of 3.2 percent, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
“The EU must act now to protect critical retail infrastructure and ensure that such attacks no longer jeopardise food security,” von der Leyen asserted.
In response, the European Commission issued a directive on October 16, urging member states to adopt a unified incident‑response protocol, allocate €150 million from the EU’s Cybersecurity Fund, and share threat‑intelligence in real time.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser praised the EU move, saying, “A coordinated European defence is the only way to outpace sophisticated criminal networks.”
Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă added, “Our supermarkets are lifelines for families; protecting them is a national priority.”
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman (now Minister for Cyber Security) echoed the sentiment, noting that the attacks exposed gaps in the nation’s cyber‑resilience strategy and called for an urgent review of the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) guidelines.
And yet, the British government faces political pressure as opposition parties demand a parliamentary inquiry into why critical retailers were left vulnerable.
Because the EU’s call for action coincides with the upcoming European Parliament elections in June 2025, political leaders are keen to showcase a strong cyber‑defence record.
In my analysis, this is a massive political gamble — the EU is betting that a swift, well‑funded response will win voter confidence, while critics argue that the money could be better spent on healthcare.
For readers interested in how tourism rebounds after cyber threats, see Ireland Travel: Top Must‑See Spots & Hidden Gems. And for a deeper dive into European tech policy, check out AI Data Center Stocks Fall After Democratic Midterm Sweep.
The Bottom Line
- EU directs €150 million to cyber‑defence for supermarkets.
- Germany, Romania and the UK report ransomware attacks affecting thousands of stores.
- ENISA flags a shared Windows vulnerability as the likely entry point.
- Political stakes rise ahead of the 2025 European Parliament elections.
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