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Ahold Delhaize cyber incident: Albert Heijn stores restocked, but online orders still down
A cybersecurity incident that forced Ahold Delhaize to take systems offline on 11 October 2026 is still disrupting online shopping at Albert Heijn in the Netherlands and at US brands including Food Lion, Stop & Shop and Hannaford. Albert Heijn says store deliveries have fully resumed.
Key takeaways
- Ahold Delhaize took some systems offline after a cybersecurity incident that began on 11 October 2026.
- Albert Heijn says deliveries to its stores have fully resumed, but online ordering is still down.
- US brands Food Lion, Stop & Shop and Hannaford had websites and apps offline while stores stayed open.
- The company says it has no evidence so far that customer, associate or partner data was taken.
- Albert Heijn warns customers about phishing by criminals posing as its staff.
Ahold Delhaize, the Dutch-Belgian group behind supermarket brands in Europe and the United States, is still recovering from a cybersecurity incident that led it to take some systems offline. Albert Heijn says the incident has affected it and its sister brands Etos and Gall & Gall since the afternoon of Sunday 11 October 2026.
What has Ahold Delhaize said? #
In a statement on 12 October, Ahold Delhaize said it was "experiencing a security issue within its network" and that its teams were "taking some systems offline to help protect them." The company flagged the release as containing inside information under the EU Market Abuse Regulation.
In an update on 13 October, it said the impact of its preventive measures "differs per brand" and that stores in Europe and the United States remained open. It said it had begun a controlled re-launch of certain systems, was working with external cybersecurity experts and was engaging the appropriate authorities. It said it had "no evidence at this moment that customer, associate and partner data was taken," and that the investigation was ongoing.
The company has not said what kind of incident it is or how attackers got in.
How has Albert Heijn been affected? #
Albert Heijn's statement page gives a timeline:
| Date | Status reported by Albert Heijn |
|---|---|
| 12 October | Websites, apps and customer service unavailable. Logistics systems switched off, all online orders cancelled. Personal Bonus discounts, Koopzegels and Air Miles unavailable. Stores open. |
| 13 October | Digital shelf labels restored. Several distribution centres running. Controlled restart of certain systems begun. |
| 14 October | Distribution centres running again; regular deliveries of long-life products to stores resumed. |
| 15 October | Regular deliveries of long-life and fresh products to stores fully resumed nationwide. No timeline yet for restoring full service. |
NL Times reported on 16 October that Albert Heijn would not resume home grocery deliveries until at least Sunday 18 October.
What about Delhaize and the US brands? #
In Belgium, Delhaize's website and app still worked but its store ordering system had not been restored as of 15 October, and stores were being supplied through an alternative system based on previous orders, a Delhaize spokesperson told RetailDetail.
In the United States, Fox Business reported on 13 October that websites and apps for Food Lion, Stop & Shop and Hannaford were down while stores stayed open. Food Lion said it was refunding unfulfilled online orders, and customers could still order through third-party delivery services such as Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Have the police been involved? #
An Albert Heijn spokesperson told the Dutch news agency ANP that the incident had been reported to the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), NL Times reported. Separately, Stan Duijf, who leads the Dutch police's response to cybercrime, said on Dutch television on 15 October that Albert Heijn had not filed a police report, so police had not opened an investigation.
Is it linked to the attack on French supermarkets? #
An Ahold Delhaize spokesperson told Reuters there is no evidence linking the incident to the separate attack on refrigeration controllers in French supermarkets, DutchNews.nl reported. TechRadar reported on 13 October that no group had publicly claimed responsibility.
What should customers do? #
Albert Heijn has warned customers about phishing by criminals posing as its staff. Its advice is to rely on its official statement page, stores and social media channels for updates. Customers who missed personal discounts should keep their receipts, since Albert Heijn says it will compensate them.
This is a developing story.
Sources
- Ahold Delhaize statement on the cybersecurity incident, Ahold Delhaize
- Ahold Delhaize update on the cybersecurity incident, Ahold Delhaize
- Albert Heijn incident updates and customer advice, Albert Heijn
- Police say Albert Heijn has not reported the hack, NL Times
- Albert Heijn resumes store deliveries, Delhaize status, RetailDetail
- US grocery websites offline after the incident, Fox Business
- Albert Heijn restocking and no link to French attack, DutchNews.nl
- Ahold Delhaize takes systems offline after cyberattack, TechRadar
Questions this raises
- Was customer data stolen?
- Ahold Delhaize says it has no evidence at this moment that customer, associate or partner data was taken. Its investigation is ongoing.
- Are the stores open?
- Yes. Ahold Delhaize says stores in Europe and the United States remain open. Albert Heijn says store deliveries have fully resumed, though availability may still vary.
- When will online ordering return?
- No date has been given by the company. NL Times reported Albert Heijn home deliveries would not restart before Sunday 18 October 2026.
- Was it ransomware?
- The company has not said what kind of incident it is, and TechRadar reported on 13 October that no group had claimed responsibility.