Albert Heijn restarts systems, shelves may not be fully stocked for a week

Albert Heijn is in the process of restoring its IT systems following a significant cybersecurity incident that occurred on Sunday. While the company has managed to fix digital shelf labels, the disruption continues to impact inventory levels, leading to empty shelves in various stores, particularly in the produce section. CEO Margaret Versteden-Van Duijn stated that while restoration efforts are underway, it may take up to a week before store supplies return to normal, as the chain is prioritizing the security of its systems over speed.

Currently, customers are unable to place new online orders or receive grocery deliveries, and the company's customer service remains unavailable. The retail chain has not confirmed whether the incident was a hack, noting that investigations are ongoing. Parent company Ahold Delhaize emphasized that there is no evidence suggesting that data belonging to customers or employees has been compromised during the outage. Despite these challenges, the company reassured patrons that existing savings programs, such as digital stamps, remain protected.