Published: 21 October 2026 | Last checked: 21 October 2026 | Reading time: 4 minutes
Albert Heijn Outage: Picnic Says It Has Gained More Than 30,000 Customers
The Albert Heijn outage is sending Dutch online shoppers to rival supermarkets, and Picnic says it has won tens of thousands of new customers. Albert Heijn expects its own home deliveries to restart gradually from Friday 23 October 2026, but whether the newcomers stay is still an open question.
What happened at Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall have been dealing with a cybersecurity incident since the afternoon of Sunday 11 October 2026, according to the company’s own media statement. Websites, apps and systems were shut down as a precaution. Stores stayed open. The AH website and the Mijn AH app were live again from 18 October, but online grocery orders through Thursday 22 October are cancelled and new orders could not be placed as of the company’s latest update on 20 October. Albert Heijn says its own delivery drivers are scheduled to return from Friday. We cover refunds, the €10 credit and the other compensation in our full guide to the Albert Heijn cybersecurity incident.
How many customers has Picnic gained?
On Monday 12 October, the day after the incident began, Picnic told Dutch news agency ANP that more orders were coming in for the next day. It expected “several thousand” extra orders if that continued and scaled up its delivery capacity. By Tuesday 20 October, De Telegraaf reported that Picnic puts the number of additional customers at more than 30,000. NOS describes it as tens of thousands of new customers. Both figures are Picnic’s own statement, and we have not seen independent confirmation.
What are Jumbo and Plus doing?
Jumbo has said its online orders have risen, but it has not shared figures. NOS reports that Jumbo and Plus are using extra delivery staff to cope with demand.
Albert Heijn market share according to Hiiper
Market research firm Hiiper, quoted by De Telegraaf on 20 October, says Albert Heijn’s share of grocery spending fell from 38.8 percent last year to just over 30 percent after the incident. Jumbo, Plus, Lidl, Picnic and Vomar gained customers. The report does not state the exact measurement period, and it says the total market shrank because many consumers postponed their grocery shopping. Hiiper expects most Albert Heijn customers to return.
Will shoppers go back to Albert Heijn?
Two experts quoted by NOS disagree on how long this will last, but both stress the same factor: duration.
- Laurens Sloot, supermarket expert: switches to competitors are usually temporary, because online shoppers are loyal and their saved sign-up details, bonus programmes and order lists make it easy to return. If the outage lasts long, he expects many of AH’s online customers, mostly young families and businesses, to switch, because convenience outweighs loyalty.
- Jesse Weltevreden, lecturer in online entrepreneurship at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences: he does not expect mass switching. Some customers who try a competitor may stay for quality or lower prices, but rivals probably cannot absorb a large share of AH’s customers because their distribution centres have limited capacity.
NOS also reports that AH’s online revenue is estimated at €2.3 billion a year, which makes it the largest supermarket delivery company in the Netherlands (the source of that estimate is not named).
What this means for you
- If you normally order from Albert Heijn, check ah.nl/klantenservice for the latest status, because customer service by phone was still unreachable on 20 October.
- Keep your receipts. AH says digital receipts appear in the Mijn AH app after you scan your bonus card.
- Book alternative delivery slots early. Rivals are busy and their capacity is limited.
- Be alert to phishing. AH warns that criminals may pose as company employees.
Frequently asked questions
When does Albert Heijn deliver again?
The company says its own delivery drivers are scheduled to return from Friday 23 October 2026, gradually. That does not mean everything is back to normal that day.
How many new customers did Picnic get during the Albert Heijn outage?
Picnic reports more than 30,000 additional customers, according to De Telegraaf on 20 October 2026. NOS speaks of tens of thousands.
Was personal data stolen in the Albert Heijn incident?
On 16 and 18 October the company said there was no indication that personal data was involved. Its 20 October update does not repeat that statement, and the investigation into the cause is still ongoing.
Sources: Albert Heijn media statement (nieuws.ah.nl, update 20 October 2026); ANP via Reformatorisch Dagblad (12 October 2026); De Telegraaf via Headliner (20 October 2026); NOS, “Albert Heijn bezorgt voorlopig niet, stappen klanten nu massaal over?”. Figures can change; we checked them on 21 October 2026.
Free: Netherlands 2027 Money Checklist
Every deadline and number you need before and after 1 January 2027, on two printable pages. Confirm your email and the PDF is yours; we will also email you when the 2027 figures are confirmed.
Read nextNewsAlbert Heijn Cybersecurity Incident: Deliveries, Refunds and What to Do
