Representative image (AI-generated)

Swiss food brand Nestle has reported the theft of a large consignment of its popular KitKat bars in Europe, warning that the incident could disrupt supplies ahead of the Easter season.In a statement, the company confirmed that a truck carrying 413,793 units of its newly launched chocolate range was stolen while in transit. The shipment, weighing around 12 tonnes, went missing last week during transportation between production and distribution points, news agency AFP reported. According to the company, the truck had departed from central Italy and was en route to Poland, with plans to distribute the products across multiple European countries along the way. However, the exact location where the theft occurred has not been disclosed and both the vehicle and its cargo remain untraceable.A spokesperson for the brand, referring to its well-known tagline, said the company has always encouraged consumers to “have a break” with KitKat, but added that in this case, “thieves appear to have taken the message too literally.”“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,” the spokesperson said.Nestle warned that the theft could lead to temporary shortages of KitKat bars in stores, particularly at a time when demand typically rises ahead of Easter. The company also cautioned that the stolen products may enter unofficial or unauthorised sales channels across European markets.Investigations into the incident are currently underway in coordination with local authorities and supply chain partners. Nestlé said it is working to trace the missing consignment using unique batch codes printed on each bar. If identified, the system will prompt users with instructions to alert the company, enabling further action.“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 said.The brand has urged retailers and consumers to remain cautious, as efforts continue to recover the stolen shipment and prevent its circulation in the market.