Nestlé confirmed a shipment of hundreds of thousands of chocolate bars was stolen during transit.Kelly Williams and Ambarish Awale Trainee Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer
10:24, 29 Mar 2026Updated 10:26, 29 Mar 2026
A lorry carrying more than 12 tonnes of KitKat bars was stolen in Europe(Image: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A major chocolate theft in Europe has sparked fears of potential shortages ahead of Easter after a lorry carrying more than 12 tonnes of KitKat bars vanished during transit. Swiss food giant Nestlé confirmed a shipment containing hundreds of thousands of chocolate bars was stolen while travelling between production and distribution sites.
The missing cargo consisted of 413,793 units from a new KitKat range, raising concerns supplies could be disrupted during one of the busiest confectionery periods of the year, Daily Star reported. The company told AFP on Saturday “a truck transporting 413,793 units of its new chocolate range has been stolen during transit in Europe”.
According to reports cited by CBS, the shipment disappeared last week while en route between facilities. Nestlé said the vehicle had departed from a factory in central Italy and was travelling towards Poland when it was taken.
The company confirmed both the truck and its contents remain missing. “We’ve always encouraged people to have a break with KitKat,” a spokesperson said, referencing the brand’s well known slogan.
Nestlé said 413,793 units from its new KitKat range were stolen(Image: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“But it seems thieves have taken the message too literally and made a break with more than 12 tons of our chocolate.” Investigations are now under way, with the company working alongside authorities and logistics partners to trace the stolen goods.
Nestlé said: “Investigations are ongoing in close collaboration with local authorities and supply chain partners.” The theft has prompted warnings that some shoppers could struggle to find the popular chocolate bars in the run up to Easter if supplies are affected.
The company also cautioned the stolen products may reappear through unofficial retail channels across European markets. To combat this risk, Nestlé explained each bar carries unique batch codes that allow products to be tracked.
The company said it remains possible to identify stolen stock through scanning technology. “If a match is found, the scanner will be given clear instructions on how to alert KitKat who will then share the evidence appropriately,” it said.
The incident is not the first time the brand has been targeted by organised cargo theft. Reports previously claimed chocolate worth around 250,000 dollars was effectively held hostage during a separate incident three years ago.
The latest theft comes during a period of wider corporate change for Nestlé, which has been restructuring its global operations in response to rising costs and shifting consumer markets. Last year, the company unveiled plans to cut approximately 16,000 jobs worldwide as part of a move towards greater automation.
Executives said the business needed to “change faster” in order to secure its future position “as a leader in our industry”. The restructuring programme includes plans to reduce around 12,000 white collar roles across various departments and regions, alongside a further 4,000 cuts within manufacturing and supply chain operations.
Nestlé expects the measures to generate savings of roughly one billion Swiss francs, equivalent to about £940 million annually, by the end of 2027. The multinational, which produces a wide range of household brands including Nescafé and Cheerios, employs around 277,000 people globally.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the stolen lorry has been located, and searches for the missing shipment remain ongoing as Easter demand begins to rise across Europe.