Nestlé said 413,793 bars, weighing 12 tonnes in total, had been stolen while being transported from a factory in Italy to Poland.

Both the chocolate bars and the vehicle transporting them are unaccounted for, according to CNN.

A spokesperson for the brand 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 tonnes of our chocolate.

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

Nestlé has asked businesses to keep an eye out for KitKats with on-pack batch numbers linked to the stolen cargo.

The firm has also reassured customers that there are “no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected”.