In February, food manufacturing giant Mars was forced to issue a recall of its products in 55 countries after plastic was found in a Snickers bar purchased in Germany. Following this unpleasant discovery, the company traced the piece of plastic back to a factory in the small town of Veghel in the Netherlands; the plastic came from a protective cover used in the manufacturing process there. Mars could not guarantee that other products were not affected by the contamination, and the company voluntarily recalled all the goods manufactured in that particular plant. The incident serves as an important (and expensive) reminder of the crucial role transparency plays in the supply chain.