The French anti-fraud office has begun investigating the complex Europe-wide chain of instructions for ordering ready-meals from Comigel, which links France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Romania.

BBC: UK

This could reduce productivity if it damaged the global manufacturing supply chain, which often involves multi-national companies ordering many of their key components from overseas.

BBC: Terrorism 'slows globalisation'

While today's global supply chain can be tough to manage, software now alerts companies to ordering or delivery problems.

FORBES: Leaner Shelves, Leaner Profits?