Hannaford Down? Users Report Problems With Maine-Based Supermarket Chain's Services on Columbus Day

SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Customers of Hannaford Supermarkets reported problems with the grocery chain's services on Monday, according to user reports logged by the outage-tracking website Downdetector, raising concerns among shoppers across the Northeast on the Columbus Day holiday.

Downdetector flagged a rise in user reports indicating possible problems with Hannaford. The site tracks outages by collecting reports from users, so a spike signals that a number of customers are experiencing difficulties at the same time.

It was not immediately clear what services were affected, how widespread the problems were or what caused them. Hannaford had not publicly explained the reported issues as of Monday morning.

What customers may be experiencing

User-reported problems with grocery chains typically involve websites, mobile apps, online ordering, pharmacy services or in-store payment systems.

For Hannaford, issues could affect services such as its website and app, the Hannaford To Go online ordering and pickup service, digital coupons, its loyalty rewards program and online prescription refills.

Customers experiencing problems are advised to check Hannaford's official website and social media channels for updates, and to contact their local store directly if they have pending orders or prescriptions.

Shoppers who encounter issues with online orders may also want to monitor their bank accounts for pending charges. During past disruptions, Hannaford has said that pending transactions on canceled orders typically clear within several days.

About Hannaford

Hannaford is a supermarket chain based in Scarborough, Maine, with about 190 stores across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. The chain is a major grocery provider in northern New England, where it is one of the region's best-known retailers.

Hannaford is owned by Ahold Delhaize, the Netherlands-based food retail giant that also operates U.S. chains including Stop & Shop, Food Lion and Giant Food.

A history of disruptions

Monday's reported problems come nearly two years after a significant disruption tied to a cybersecurity incident at Hannaford's parent company.

In November 2024, Ahold Delhaize said it had detected a "cybersecurity issue within its U.S. network." Hannaford's website and mobile app were taken offline for several days during that incident, shutting customers out of online shopping, digital coupons, rewards and online prescription refills.

At the time, the company said it had taken some systems down to help protect them and had notified law enforcement. Hannaford also canceled pickup and delivery orders because employees could not view orders that had been placed.

Some customers reported difficulty paying with credit, debit and EBT cards at certain locations during that disruption, and shoppers had to refill prescriptions in person or by phone.

"We're working diligently to resolve any remaining issues, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience," Hannaford said in a Facebook post at the time.

Hannaford's stores remained open throughout that incident, and the company later said it did not experience supply shortages, unlike sister chain Stop & Shop, where some shelves went bare. Hannaford's website was restored after about three days.

There is no indication that Monday's reported problems are related to the 2024 incident.

Holiday timing

The reported problems came on Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day, a federal holiday when most retailers, including grocery stores, remain open. Many shoppers use the long weekend to stock up on groceries, which can increase demand on store systems and online ordering services.

How outage reports work

Downdetector compiles reports from users who say they are having trouble with a service, along with other signals such as social media posts. A spike in reports does not necessarily mean a system-wide failure. Problems can be limited to certain regions, specific services such as an app, or individual users.

Outages at retailers can stem from a variety of causes, including technical glitches, software updates, server problems, network issues or problems with third-party providers.

What to do

Customers affected by the reported problems can take several steps:

• Check Hannaford's official website and social media accounts for status updates.
• Contact a local store or pharmacy directly for urgent needs, such as prescription refills.
• Bring an alternative form of payment, such as cash, in case card payment systems are affected.
• Monitor bank statements for duplicate or pending charges related to online orders.

This story may be updated as more information becomes available.