Nestlé has sought to reassure retailers and consumers after more than 400,000 KitKat products were stolen from a lorry during transit across Europe.

The confectionery giant confirmed that 12 tonnes of KitKat stock were taken while being transported between its factory in central Italy and a destination in Poland.

Despite the scale of the theft, Nestlé said there are no concerns around either product safety or supply disruption.

A KitKat spokesperson said: “We can confirm that 12 tonnes of KitKat products were stolen while in transit between our factory in central Italy and their destination in Poland.

“We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate.

“The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety and supply is not affected.”

The location of both the vehicle and the missing stock remains unknown.

In a statement, the brand added a lighter note to the incident, saying: “We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat – but it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tonnes of our chocolate.”

However, Nestlé said the incident also underlines a growing problem for supply chains across the sector.

“Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes,” the spokesperson said.

“With more sophisticated schemes being deployed on a regular basis, we have chosen to go public with our own experience in the hope that it raises awareness of an increasingly common criminal trend.”

It is understood the stolen products could potentially enter unofficial sales channels across Europe. However, Nestlé said the goods can be traced using unique batch codes.

A spokesperson said: “If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert KitKat, who will then share the evidence appropriately.”

The company has not disclosed further details about the circumstances surrounding the theft, with investigations ongoing.

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