The York- based makers of KitKats say a lorry-load of the confectionery has been stolen as it was being transported between Italy and Poland.
Nestle said thieves made off with more than 12 tonnes of chocolate, that is 413,793 chocolate bars, and warned the incident could lead to shortages on shelves ahead of Easter.
The bars were stolen while in transit from a Nestlé production facility in Italy, destined for distribution in Poland.
In a statement, Nestle UK said: “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 tons of our chocolate.”
The statement continued: “Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes.
“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.”
The company said earlier that the theft “may lead to a shortage of KitKats appearing on shelves, which is why consumers, unfortunately, may struggle to find their favourite chocolates ahead of Easter”.
But it has now added: “The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety and supply is not affected.”
