French Supermarket Fridges Go on Vacation, Spoil Millions in Food
A cyber-attack defrosted refrigerators in 150-200 Intermarché stores and nearly 100 Cooperative U outlets, ruining fresh and frozen goods worth millions.
The only thing colder than the French winter was the sudden thaw in the aisles of Intermarché, where freezers decided to audition for a beach-party reality show.
An overnight cyber-attack slipped past the digital guards of Intermarché and Cooperative U, leaving 150-200 Intermarché shops and almost a hundred Cooperative U outlets with refrigerators that behaved like open-air picnics. Fresh produce wilted, ice-cream melted into a dairy-free smoothie, and the frozen pizza aisle resembled a molten lava field.
Supermarket managers, accustomed to counting stock, suddenly found themselves counting puddles. The ruined inventory was estimated to be worth millions of euros, a sum that would make even the most seasoned accountant break into a cold sweat.
IT teams, now sporting more frostbite than a ski resort, tried to reboot the appliances with the same fervor they use to reboot a stalled Wi-Fi router. Unfortunately, the fridges were less interested in a software update and more interested in a summer vacation.
Customers, who came expecting baguettes and brie, were greeted by the scent of thawed fish and the occasional whiff of regret. Some brave souls tried to salvage what they could, turning wilted lettuce into avant-garde salad art, while others simply fled with the dignity of a cat avoiding a bathtub.
The cyber-culprits remain anonymous, but the aftermath reads like a culinary apocalypse: melted sorbets, soggy butter, and a chorus of “c’est la vie” echoing through the chilled corridors.
Retail analysts predict a short-term spike in demand for dry ice and a long-term lesson in cyber-hygiene, because apparently, even a freezer can be turned into a sauna when the right code is entered.
In the meantime, the French public can take solace in the fact that at least the supermarkets are no longer cold.