Stories

Tue, 12 May 2026

Tue, 12 May 2026 Snack giant switches to black and white packaging as Iran war hits ink supplies

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted global supplies of energy and petrochemicals.

* Japanese snack giant Calbee will temporarily switch to black and white packaging for some products due to a shortage of an ingredient used in ink.
* The disruption was caused by the Iran war, which has affected supplies of naphtha, a byproduct of oil refining used in ink and plastics.
* Naphtha prices in Asia have almost doubled since the conflict started, pushing up costs for businesses in the region.
* Japan's government is working to stabilize and resolve supply imbalances and bottlenecks caused by the disruptions.
* Other companies in Japan, such as Mizkan, Toyota, and Hyundai, have also been affected by the war, with some suspending sales or raising prices due to higher costs of materials and lower sales.