Albert Heijn shelves increasingly empty: 'Today I'll be facing and mopping'

Albert Heijn supermarkets across the Netherlands are experiencing significant operational disruptions due to a cybersecurity incident affecting their central IT systems. Many stores are facing empty shelves, particularly for dairy, produce, and eggs, as automated supply chain planning and distribution centers have been severely impacted. Staff are struggling to manage daily tasks without digital systems, resulting in difficulties with age-restricted sales like alcohol and an inability to process online orders or access company websites and apps. Employees are manually handling displays and price labeling while apologizing to customers for the lack of stock and technical failures.

While some shoppers are concerned about potential data breaches, many remain understanding of the situation and continue to support local stores. Stores that rely on different distribution routes, such as those for bakery goods, have maintained some supply, but inventory tracking remains offline. Although the company has labeled the event a cybersecurity incident, the specific nature of the disruption—including whether it involves ransomware—remains unconfirmed, leaving both staff and customers to navigate the uncertainty while awaiting a return to normal operations.