Overview
- Ahold Delhaize began isolating parts of its network on Sunday, leaving the websites, apps and customer service of Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall unavailable and forcing the cancellation of all online grocery deliveries.
- The company calls the issue a "beveiligingsprobleem" and says systems were switched off to protect its IT environment while teams work to restore services.
- In-store cash registers and national promotional prices still function, but app-linked personal bonus cards and savings programs are disabled and customers who lose discounts will be compensated.
- Multiple Albert Heijn distribution centres, including Tilburg, have been paused and suppliers were told to use Zaandam only, creating a risk that fresh produce and other short-shelf items will run low in some stores.
- Markets reacted negatively with Ahold Delhaize shares down about 3 percent and competitors such as Picnic and Jumbo report higher online demand and are expanding capacity to absorb displaced orders while investigators have not publicly confirmed a hack.